vv 


^^^rGTm^csfo:^ 


BX  9931  .P683  1843 
Power,  John  H.  1798-1873 
An  exposition  of 
Universalism 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2009  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/expositionofunivOOpowe 


AN 


EXPOSITION  OF  UNIVETISALISM 


AN   INVESTIGATION 


SYSTEM  OP  DOCTRINE 


PROMISES  FINAL  HOLINESS  AND  HAPPINESS   IN  HEAVEN  TO    ALL 

MANKIND,   IRRESPECTIVE   OF  MORAL  CHARACTER 

OR  CONDUCT  IX  THIS   LIFE. 

/ 
132  ^^tJ-  JoI)n  ^,  poujer. 


"I  speak  as  to  wise  men;  judge  ye  what  1  say,"  1  Cor.  x,  15. 


Cincinnati: 

PUBLISHED  BY  L.  SWORMSTEDT  &  J.  T.  MITCHELL, 

FOR  THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH,  AT  THE  WESTERN  BOOK  CONCERN 

CORNER  OF  MAIN  AND  EIGHTH-STREETS. 

P..    P.   THOMPSON,   PRINIKR, 

1847.    ^      l">^i 


Entered  according  to  an  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1843,  by  John  H. 
Power,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  for  the  District  Court  of  Ohio 


PREFACE. 


In  adding  one  more  to  the  numerous  publications  of 
the  day,  some,  as  is  frequently  the  case,  may  expect  an 
apology  from  the  writer.  He  has  no  apology,  however, 
to  make ;  for  if  this  work  should  entirely  fail  to  reclaim 
any  one  from,  or  prevent  any  falling  into,  the  pernicious 
error  against  which  it  is  directed,  no  apology  would  jus- 
tify its  publication.  On  the  contrary,  if  it  should  be  the 
means,  by  Divine  Providence,  of  rescuing  one  from  that 
error,  or  preventing  one  from  falling  into  it,  and  of  leading 
them  to  embrace  the  truth  and  be  saved,  no  apology  will 
be  necessary. 

It  may  be  proper,  however,  to  give  a  few  words  of 
explanation.  Having  long  been  impressed  with  the  belief 
that  Universalism  is  radically  erroneous,  we  were  led,  oc- 
casionally, to  make  it  the  subject  of  some  remarks;  from 
this,  or  other  considerations,  its  friends  and  advocates  re- 
peatedly invited  us  publicly  to  discuss  the  subject.  This, 
for  a  time,  we  declined,  till  the  course  we  pursued  was 
abused,  to  the  injury  of  truth;  by  insinuating  or  asserting, 
that  the  reasons  for  declining  were  the  convictions  of  the 
erroneousness  of  our  own,  and  the  incontrovertibleness  of 
their  system.  This  was  not  without  its  effect  on  many, 
who  loved  a  system  that  would  accommodate  itself  to  their 
depravity,  more  than  they  did  one  which  condemns  all  sin, 
and  requires  holiness  of  heart  and  life  here,  in  order  to 
final  salvation  hereafter. 

Convinced  of  these  facts  we  changed  our  course,  and 
at  once  accepted  a  written  challenge  to  investigate  the  sub- 


4  PREFACE. 

ject  before  the  public.  This  was  succeeded  by  others; 
and  after  repeated  public  investigations  of  this  kind,  with 
those  who  were  reputed,  at  least  before  these  discussions 
occurred,  as  among  the  ablest  defenders  of  the  system,  not 
only  were  our  former  convictions  confirmed,  but  we  were 
compelled  to  believe  that  Universalism  contains  all  the 
elements  of  general  skepticism  and  stubborn,  practical  in- 
fidelity. 

With  these  facts  before  us,  a  conviction  of  duty,  a  de- 
sire to  do  good,  and  with  the  advice  of  friends,  whose 
judgments  we  respected,  we  have,  in  the  midst  of  the  ordi- 
nary domestic  cares,  and  the  numerous  and  pressing  du- 
ties of  a  large  and  laborious  district,  prepared  this  work, 
and  now  commit  it  to  the  direction  of  that  Divine  Being 
whose  glory  has  been  our  steady  aim  in  its  entire  prepa- 
ration. 

Great  plainness  has  been  observed  throughout  this  work . 
first,  that  all  into  whose  hands  it  may  fall  may  fully  un- 
derstand our  views  of  the  subject;  second,  from  a  belief 
that  nothing  short  of  the  utmost  plainness  will  meet  the 
present  imperious  and  dogmatical  spirit  and  practice  of 
Universalism. 

It  will  be  seen  by  the  attentive  observer,  that,  in  a  few 
instances,  we  have  used  the  same  arguments,  and  traveled 
over  the  same  ground,  in  part,  under  different  heads ;  from 
the  fact  that  Universalism,  to  make  a  show  of  strength  and 
defense,  frequently  modifies  the  same  arguments  and  po- 
sitions, and  brings  them  up  at  different  times  as  new  and 
additional  proofs,  which  must  be  met  in  their  different 
forms,  otherwise  they  are  claimed  as  unanswerable. 

To  avoid  personality,  and  as  far  as  possible  all  just  oc- 
casion of  offense  to  any,  we  have  used  the  terms  "  Uni- 
versalism" and  "system,"  when,  according  to  the  rules 
of  strict  propriety,  we  might  have  used  the  term  ♦'  Uni- 
versalist;"  but  as  the  latter  would  have  been  more  per- 


PREFACE.  5 

sonal,  we  chose  the  former.     This  will  be  understood  and 
appreciated  by  all  the  candid. 

For  the  manner  in  which  this  investigation  has  been 
conducted,  we  refer  all  concerned  to  the  work  itself;  with 
the  simple  request  that  they  prayerfully  read  with  care, 
and  decide  with  candor  for  themselves ;  always  remember- 
ing, that  the  subject  here  discussed  involves  their  highest 
interests  in  time  and  eternity. 

John  H.  Power. 

Mt.   Vernon^  O.,  December,  1842. 
1* 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER   I. 

UNIVERSALIS M     DEFINED. 

Universalism  defined — different  statements  of  the  system — Magazine 
and  Advocate,  p.  12;  Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas,  p.  14;  Mr.  Hosea  Ballou, 
and  Mr.  Thomas  Whittemore,  p.  15;  Mr.  J.  Kidwell's  view  of  the 
Bible,  p.  18;  Mr.  Ballou's  concession,  p.  19;  what  the  system  believes 
and  maintains  affirmatively,  p.  22 ;  the  negative  positions  of  Univer- 
salism, p.  25  ;  Condensed  view  of  the  whole  system ;  p.  37  ;  Univer- 
salism bears  all  the  characteristic  marks  of  error,  p.  39 11-40. 

CHAPTER    II. 
PROMISE     OF     GENERAL     BLESSINGS. 

Promise  of  general  blessings — manner  of  refuting  error,  p.  40 ;  Mr. 
Thomas'  letter  to  Dr.  Ely — system  and  proofs  stated,  p.  41 ;  Univer- 
salists  generally  travel  over  the  same  ground — Mr.  T.  indorses  most 
of  the  positions  stated  above,  p.  47 ;  arguments  logically  and  theologi- 
cally false,  p.  48  ;  its  supposed  strength  lies  in  assumptions,  p.  49 ;  all 
mankind  blessed  in  Christ,  without  being  unconditionally  saved  in 
heaven,  p.  54 ;  provision  made  for  the  universal  spread  of  the  Gospel, 
and  the  establishment  of  the  Christian  Church,  p.  57 ;  facts  establish- 
ed— dilemma — the  system  must  sink  under  them,  or  avow  infidelity, 
p.  70 - 40-71. 

CHAPTER   III. 
ABSOLUTE     AND     CONDITIONAL    PROMISES. 

Absolute  and  conditional  promises — promise  in  the  abstract  not  au 
object  of  faith,  p.  72 ;  some  of  the  Divine  promises  absolute  and  some 
of  them  conditional,  p.  73;  the  absolute  Divine  promises  do  not  imply 
the  unconditional  salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven,  p.  82;  absolute 
promises  fulfilled  in  Christ,  and  salvation  rendered  possible  for  all 
through  Christ,  p.  84;  salvation  unconditional  for  all  who  die  infants 
and  idiots,  p.  85 ;  Christ  the  Savior  of  all  men  in  this  world,  without 
saving  them  unconditionally  in  the  future  world,  p.  86;  this  salvation 
implies  justification,  the  light  of  the  Spirit,  and  hope,  p.  92;  recapitu- 
lation, p.  94 -72-97. 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER   IV. 
SALVATION     IN     HEAVEN     C  O  N  D  I  T  I  O  W  A  I.  . 

Salvation  in  heaven  conditional — the  system  has  to  apply  all  the 
threatenings  of  the  word  of  God  against  sinners,  and  the  salvation 
promised  to  believers,  to  man  in  this  life,  p.  98 ;  the  salvation  promised 
in  the  Gospel  cannot  be  fully  enjoyed  in  this  life,  p.  103 ;  God  either 
forbids  faith  and  obedience — or  is  indifferent  to  faith  and  obedience — 
or  requires  faith  and  obedience  as  a  condition  of  final  salvation  in 
heaven,  p.  109;  points  established  in  this  chapter,  p.  120 98-121. 

CHAPTER   V. 
DIVINE     -Will.     AND     P  U  B  P  O  S  E  . 

Divine  will  and  purpose — God  does  not  desire  in  the  sense  that  man 
does,  p.  122;  the  will  and  purpose  of  God  the  rule  of  his  own  ac- 
tions— in  this  sense,  sovereign  and  absolute — his  will  the  rule  of  hu- 
man actions — in  this  sense  it  may  be  and  is  resisted,  p.  123 ;  the  Di- 
vine will,  as  a  rule  of  human  conduct,  extends  to  all  the  actions  of 
man,  p.  124;  the  Divine  Being  contradicts  himself — the  Bible  is  not 
his  word,  or  Universalism  is  wholly  false,  p.  133 121-139. 

CHAPTER   VI. 
FOREKNOWLEDGE. 

Foreknowledge — must  refer  to  and  include  the  infinite  wisdom  and 
knowledge  of  God,  p.  140 ;  must  imply  his  infinite  wisdom  and 
knowledge,  or  it  must  imply  more  or  less  than  this — if  human  actions 
are  necessary  because  they  are  foreknown,  either  God  or  man  must  be 
the  cause  of  that  necessity,  p.  142  ;  consequences,  p.  143 139-144. 

CHAPTER   VII. 
PATERNAL     LOVE     OF     GOD. 

Paternal  love  of  God — arguments  drawn  from  the  conduct  of  earthly 
parents  toward  their  children  false  when  applied  to  God,  p.  144 ; 
wherein  the  falseness  of  such  arguments  consist,  p.  150;  Universalism 
cannot  escape  the  consequences  that  must  follow,  p.  152 144-154. 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
THE     GENERAL     RESURRECTION. 

The  general  resurrection — Universalist  views  of  the  subject,  p.  154; 
testimony  of  the  Scriptures  on  the  moral  character  of  the  soul,  spirit, 
mind,  and  heart  of  man,  p.  160 ;  Universalist  speculations  on  the  re- 
surrection exposed,  p.  165  ;  assumes  that  the  qualities  of  the  resurrec- 
tion body  are  moral  qualities — the  contrary  shown,  p.  177  ;  Scripture 
proofs  on  the  subject,  p.  181 ;  on  UniversaUst  principles,  the  resurrection 
of  the  body  and  the  salvation  of  the  soul  impossible,  p.  190- -  - 154-193. 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER    IX. 
SECON"D      C  O  JVI  T  :N^  G      OF     CHBIST. 

Second  coming  of  Christ — his  having  come  in  the  flesh  not  the 
question  in  dispute,  p.  194;  Scriptures  relied  on  by  Universalism  for 
proof — derives  its  plausibility  from  assumptions,  p.  195;  facts  and 
proofs  to  the  contrary,  p.  196;  dilemma,  p.  200;  his  coming  in  the 
life-time  of  some  of  those  who  heard  him  speak — invisible  and  spirit- 
ual, p.  201 ;  he  now  reigns,  not  in  final  judgment,  but  in  the  kingdom 
of  grace  and  providence,  p.  103;  the  present  cannot  be  the  state  of 
final  judgment  and  retribution  with  man,  p.  206;  if  men  are  judged 
and  punished  in  this  world,  their  sufferings  must  be  either  of  the  body, 
the  mind,  or  both,  p.  208;  proofs  to  the  contrary,  p.  209;  allow  all  the 
system  claims  on  the  point,  and  it  makes  the  Almighty  mock,  and  cru- 
elly deceive  his  creatures,  p.  213;  the  Scriptures  must  prove  to  be 
untrue,  or  Universalism  is  false,  p.  215-. 194-216. 

CHAPTER   X. 

FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT. 

Future  general  judgment  and  retribution — is  believed — and  must 
have  originated  with  God,  or  man,  p.  217;  the  general  judgment  must 
be  either  past,  progressive,  or  future,  p.  219;  cannot  be  past,  p.  220; 
cannot  be  progressive,  p.  221;  objections  anticipated,  p.  224;  princi- 
ples to  be  observed  in  investigating  this  subject,  p.  232 ;  proofs  of  a 
future  judgment — Christ  will  come  literally  and  visibly,  p.  234;  with 
the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  the  trump  of  God — the  dead  will  be 
raised,  and  the  living  changed — every  intelligent  being  in  the  universe 
will  be  personally  present  in  the  final  judgment — the  visible  world  will 
be  the  subject  of  universal  conflagration — all  will  be  judged  according 
to  the  evidence  of  their  works — the  good  rewarded  with  endless  life — 
the  wicked  punished  with  endless  misery — the  principles  previously 
established  applied,  p.  248;  the  great,  unchangeable,  and  final  results, 
p.  250 - -216-254. 

CHAPTER   XI. 

ENDLESS      PUNISHMENT. 

Endle"  ,unishment — the  doctrine  believed  by  the  Jews — testimony 
of  Joseph  s,  p.  255;  not  contradicted  or  corrected  by  the  Savior, 
p.  256 ;  hell  represents  a  state  and  place  of  suffering — this  suffering 
confined  to  this,  the  future  world,  or  may  be  experienced  in  both — can- 
not be  confined  to  this  world  without  making  Christ  the  author  of  false- 
hood, deception,  and  self-contradiction,  p.  257;  Restorationist  view  of 
limited  punishment  after  death — punishment  of  the  wicked  after  death 
endless,  p.  261 ;  Universalist  criticism  on  the  terms,  for  ever,  everlast- 


10  CO.NTENTS. 

ing,  and  eternal,  p.  270;  God  either  has,  or  he  has  not,  used  the  best 
terms  in  revealing  his  will  to  man,  p.  274;  if  he  has,  the  question  is 
settled,  p.  278 254-281. 

CHAPTER    XII. 
UNIVERSALIS3MC    BUT    A    MODIFICATION    OF    INFIDEXITT. 

Universalism  but  a  modification  of  infidelity — rejects  Jesus  Christ — 
his  character  and  work  as  a  Savior,  p.  282;  sin  cannot  be  pardoned 
and  punished  at  the  same  time,  p.  287;  rejects  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the 
agent  of  man's  sanctification,  p.  292 ;  virtually  rejects  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures as  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  p.  293;  J.  Kidwell's  testimony, 
p.  294;  relieves  man  from  all  the  restraints  drawn  from  the  retributions 
of  eternity,  p.  297;  argument  and  conclusion,  p.  300 282-308. 


AN 


EXPOSITION    OF    UNIVERSALISM 


CHAPTER  I. 

UNIVERSALISM     DEFINED. 

Universalism  Defined — Different  Statements  of  the  System — Maga- 
zine and  Advocate — Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas — Mr.  Hosea  Ballou — Mr. 
Thomas  Whittemore — Mr.  J.  Kidwell's  View  of  the  Bible — Mr.  Bal- 
lou's  Concession — What  the  System  maintains  affirmatively — The 
Negative  Positions  of  Universalism — Condensed  View  of  the  whole 
System — Universalism  bears  all  the  characteristic  marks  of  Error. 

Universalism,  or,  in  other  words,  the  doctrine  that  all 
mankind  will  finally  be  holy  and  happy  in  heaven,  is  either 
true,  or  it  is  false.  If  true,  it  can  sustain  no  loss  by  the 
most  rigid  investigation  that  can  be  instituted ;  but  on  the 
contrary,  investigation  will  only  develop  its  beauty,  and 
command  respect  and  belief.  And  if  it  is  false,  it  is  not 
merely  a  heresy  of  common  magnitude,  but  the  greatest 
imposture  that  ever  deceived  human  society.  The  truth  of 
this  we  presume  no  one  will  doubt. 

Again :  if  it  be  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible,  it  is  reasonable 
to  suppose  that  it  is  susceptible  of  proof  from  the  sacred 
record  as  clear  as  the  interests  involved  are  important.  In 
the  absence  of  such  proof,  all  will  be  justifiable  in  rejecting 
the  doctrine  if  it  were  but  a  harmless  error ;  much  more, 
when  it  is  seen  to  be  an  error  of  the  most  fearful  character. 

To  view  Universalism  in  the  light  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
and  sound  reason,  is  the  design  of  this  investigation.  To 
do  this  intelligibly,  it  is  necessary  to  understand  as  clearly 
as  possible  what    Universalism    is,  in    its  parts,  and  as  a 


12  UMVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [ciIAP.    I. 

whole.  We  are  aware,  however,  tliat  this  is  extremely  dif- 
ticuh;  for  notwithstanding  the  "numerous  Universalian  pro- 
ductions in  the  form  of  newspapers,  pamphlets,  sermons, 
lectures,  and  books,  it  will  be  almost  impossible,  if  not  really 
so,  to  collect  from  the  whole  mass  any  thing  like  a  harmo- 
nious system,  even  of  theological  speculation,  not  to  say, 
sound  Bible  divinity.  That  it  may  be  seen  clearly  that  such 
is  the  fact,  we  have  made  some  extracts  from  approved  Uni- 
versalist  authors,  in  order,  as  far  as  possible,  to  collect  there- 
from the  XJniversalist  system  ;  for  it  is  our  desire  to  pre- 
sent Universalism  in  as  clear  a  light  as  possible,  that  in 
pursuing  our  inquiries  we  may  do  no  injustice  either  to  the 
system  or  its  advocates.  The  first  extract  we  give,  is  from 
the  Magazine  and  Advocate  for  April  26,  and  May  3,  1824. 
This  is  a  XJniversalist  periodical  published  at  Utica,  N.  Y. 
The  following  is  quoted  from  the  editorial  department ;  the 
articles  from  which  we  quote  are  headed,  *'  Peace  Maker," 
the  object  of  which  is  to  dissuade  Universalists  from  dis- 
cussing points  of  difference  which  exist  among  themselves, 
as  the  language  will  show.  The  writer  says,  "  I  wish  to 
be  distinctly  understood,  that  I  am  not  opposed  to  the  dis- 
cussion of  any  of  these  subjects  in  the  abstract,  at  any  time, 
and  in  any  manner  which  may  not  endanger  our  peace  and 
unity.  But  I  do  not  consider  the  present  juncture  the  time 
for  such  a  discussion,  if  public,  and  least  of  all,  in  our 
periodicals.  Though  warmly  attached  to  my  own  peculiar 
opinions,  I  am  more  attached  to  Universalism  at  large. 
Many  Universalists,  it  is  well  known,  who  believe  in  post 
mortem  punishment,  (punishment  after  death,)  do  not  be- 
lieve the  Bible  teaches  it  expressly  and  directly,  but  only 
by  inference — others  believe  it  merely  on  reason  and  anal- 
ogy, independent  of  the  Scriptures — some  make  it  merely 
a  deprivation  of  present  holiness  and  happiness — some  con- 
fine it  to  a  very  short  period  of  time — others  to  an  indefi- 
nite period — others  to  the  intermediate  state  between  death 


CHAP.    I.]]  UNIVERSALISM    DP:FINED.  13 

and  the  general  resurrection.  If  we  were  inclined  to  divide, 
where  would  we  draw  the  line — at  what  doctrinal  point 
shall  we  begin,  and  at  what  doctrinal  point  end  the  separa- 
tion ?  In  a  denomination  like  our  own,  where  there  is  such 
an  extent  of  Christian  freedom,  and  such  a  consequent 
diversity  of  opinion,  the  only  bonds  of  union  must  be  some 
great  and  leading  principle  of  theology,  which  can  be  uni- 
versally applied  and  practiced.  To  prove  this,  let  a  brief 
examination  be  made :  supposing  ante  and  post  mortem 
punishment  to  be  the  line  of  separation. 

"1.  To  which  party  shall  A.  belong,  (a  respectable  class 
of  valued  brethren,)  who  has  not  yet  made  up  his  mind  on 
the  subject— is  yet  undecided  which  side  has  the  truth  ? 

<*2.  B.  deems  ante  mortem  punishment  (punishment  be- 
fore death)  merely  probable ;  C.  thinks  post  mortem,  pun- 
ishment (punishment  after  death)  merely  probable.  Neither 
believes  his  opinion  in  any  wise  revealed,  but  infers  it  from 
reason  and  analogy  alone.     Where  will  you  place  these  ? 

"3.  D.  not  only  deems  ^jos^  m,ortem,  punishment  j9ro6a- 
ble\,  but  finds  inferential  testimony  for  it  in  the  Bible.  E. 
believes  exactly  the  reverse,  on  inferential  testimony  to  the 
contrary,  or  for  want  of  any  testimony  on  the  subject. 

*'  4.  F.  believes  in  post  mortem,  punishment,  believing  it 
expressly  taught  in  the  Bible  ;  while  G.  believes  it  expressly 
denied  by  the  same  authority. 

"5.  H.  believes  in  the  sleep  of  the  soul  and  yost  mortem 
punishment ;  I.  believes  in  an  immediate  consciousness  of 
future  existence,  and  denies  punishment  after  death. 

"6.  J.  believes  with  I.,  as  it  respects  the  soul,  but  with 
H.  as  it  respects  punishment ;  while  K.  is  diametrically  op- 
posed to  J. 

"7.  L.  believes  that  the  sleep  of  the  soul  is  prolonged  in 
proportion  to  the  viciousness  of  its  character,  and  is  thus 
punished  negatively,  by  a  deprivation  of  holiness  and  bliss. 
M.  believes  that  the  sleep  of  death  will  be  instantaneously 

2 


14  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

broken  at  the  general  resurrection,  and  perfect  holiness  and 
happiness  succeed  it. 

"  8.  N.  believes  that  immediately  after  death,  or  after  the 
resurrection,  if  he  believes  in  the  sleep  of  the  soul,  the  soul 
has  the  same  moral  character  which  it  had  at  death,  from 
which  state  it  advances  gradually  to  perfection.  O.,  on  the 
contrary,  believes  that  immediately  after  death,  or  the  resur- 
rection, if  he  believes  in  the  sleep  of  the  soul,  the  soul  is 
freed  from  all  immorality,  and  filled  with  the  fullness  of 
knowledge,  holiness  and  bliss. 

"  9.  P.  believes  in  a  gradual  and  progressive  improve- 
ment, in  the  intermediate  state,  of  all  the  moral  and  intel- 
lectual powers  at  death,  until  holiness  becomes  the  charac- 
teristic, when  all  are  thenceforward  equal  in  bliss  accord- 
ing to  capacity.  Q.  believes  that  immediately  after  death, 
or  the  resurrection,  all  are  alike  divested  of  the  immoral 
character,  but  left  different  in  mental  powers,  and  thus  pro- 
gress through  eternity."  See  Universalism  Examined,  by 
Luther  Lee,  pp.  288,  289,  290. 

We  quote  next  from  Mr.  Abel  C.  Thomas,  a  distin- 
guished Universalist  preacher.  Mr.  Thomas  says,  "  There 
are  but  three  systems  of  Universalism.  1st.  Calvinism 
Improved — chiefly  differing  from  Calvinism  in  supposing 
a  universal  vicarious  atonement,  and  in  the  consequent 
salvation  of  all  men.  *  *  *  * 

"2d.  Arminianism  Extended — the  system  advocated  by 
Winchester,  Chauncy,  and  others.  It  extended  probation 
into  the  future  state,  and  allowed  of  future  limited  punish- 
ment, resulting  in  the  final  holiness  and  happiness  of  all 
mankind.  This  system  is  held  by  many  Universalists — 
and  prominently  by  the  '  Massachusetts  Restorationist 
Association.' 

"  3d.  In  noticing  the  third  system,  I  shall  give  you  my 
own  views^premising  that  they  are  the  views  of  a  large 
majority  of   American    Universalists.      1st.    T  believe  that 


CHAP.  I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFIxNED.  15 

God  '  will  render  to  every  man  according  lo  his  deeds,' 
that  is,  according  to  his  own  deeds,  Rom.  ii,  6 ;  conse- 
quendy,  I  reject  the  doctrine  of  vicarious  atonement.  2d. 
I  believe  that  '  the  righteous  shall  be  recompensed  in  the 
EARTH,  much  more  the  wicked  and  the  sinner,'  Prov.  xi, 
31 ;  consequently,  I  believe  the  Bible  furnishes  no  evidence 
of  a  punishment  beyond  the  present  life.  3d.  I  believe 
that  God  '  will  reconcile  all  things  to  himself,'  that  '  God 
may  be  all  in  all,'  Col.  i,  20 ;  1  Cor.  xv,  28.  And  this  sal- 
vation I  believe  to  be  '  the  gift  of  God,  and  not  of  works, 
lest  any  man  should  boast,'  Ephes.  ii,  8,  9."  Theological 
Discussion  by  Dr.  E.  S.  Ely  and  A.  C.  Thomas,  p.  25. 

The  following  statement  of  the  system  is  given  by  Mr. 
Ballon:  *<  1st.  God  created  man,  in  Christ  the  Mediator; 
in  which  creation,  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus,  of  which  St.  Paul  speaks  to  the  Romans,  was  the 
whole  governing  principle  of  his  nature.  2d.  After  the 
creation  of  man  in  this  divine  constitution,  it  pleased  the 
Almighty  to  reduce  him  to  a  state  of  formation  in  flesh  and 
blood ;  in  which  constitution,  the  law  of  sin,  which  St. 
Paul  said  he  found  in  his  members,  became  the  governing 
principle  of  the  whole  man.  3d.  God  has  revealed  his 
divine  and  glorious  purpose  of  bringing  man  back  from 
his  formed  state,  and  from  under  the  law  of  the  earthly 
Adam,  to  his  original  created  state,  for  ever  to  be  under  the 
governing  power  of  the  law  of  the  heavenly  constitution." 
Ballou  on  the  Atonement,  p.  141. 

The  following  is  the  "  Profession  of  Belief"  adopted  by 
the  General  Convention  of  Universalists  in  the  United 
States,  at  the  session  holden  in  1803.  It  has  never  been 
altered,  and  it  is  perfectly  satisfactory  to  the  denomination. 

"  Art.  I.  We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  of  the 
Old  and  New  Testaments  contain  a  revelation  of  the  char- 
acter of  God,  and  of  the  duty,  interest,  and  final  destina- 
tion of  mankind. 


16  UXIVERSALlsr.I    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

"Art.  II.  We  believe  that  there  is  one  God,  whose 
nature  is  love ;  revealed  in  one  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  one 
Holy  Spirit  of  grace ;  who  will  finally  restore  the  whole 
family  of  mankind  to  holiness  and  happiness. 

"  Art.  III.  AVe  believe  that  holiness  and  true  happiness 
are  inseparably  connected;  and  that  believers  ought  to 
maintain  order  and  practice  good  works ;  for  these  things 
are  good  and  profitable  unto  men." 

*'  The  above  was  prepared  for  the  Encyclopedia  of  Re- 
ligious Knowledge,  by  Mr.  Lucius  R.  Paige,  of  Cam- 
bridgeport,  a  distinguished  minister  of  the  denomination." 
See  Article  Universalist. 

In  "The  Plain  Guide  to  Universalism,"  a  recent  work 
by  Thomas  Whittemore,  a  Universalist  preacher,  these  ar- 
ticles are  recognized  as  comprising  the  faith  of  Univer- 
salists ;  and  in  a  "Constitution  of  a  Universalist  Society," 
the  author  gives  the  following  qualifications  for  mem- 
bership : 

"  Any  person  sustaining  a  good  moral  character,  and 
assenting  to  the  aforesaid  profession  of  faith,  may  be  ad- 
mitted a  member  of  this  society,  on  application  to  that 
effect,  by  a  majority  of  votes,  at  any  regular  meeting." 
P.  302. 

The  same  author  quotes  from  the  "Universalist  Expos- 
itor," as  being  his  own  sentiments  on  the  holy  sacrament: 
"  With  respect  to  the  communion  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
we  may  be  told,  that  it  is  questionable  whether  this  insti- 
tution was  intended  as  an  absolute  ordinance,  that  is,  as 
perpetually  and  universally  obligatory,  by  force  of  positive 
command.  We  think  so  too.  We  have  doubts  of  the  ex- 
istence of  ordinances  in  Christianity ;  we  mean  in  the  usual 
technical  sense  of  the  term."     P.  326. 

And  after  making  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper 
a  mere  matter  of  expediency,  on  the  qualification  of  com- 
municants Mr.  Whittemore  proceeds:  "But  it  may  be  in- 
quired, 'Do  you  have  no  other  test?     Is  it  not  necessary 


CHAP.    I.]  UXIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  It 

that  persons  should  previouslv  have  been  converted?  It 
is  necessary  people  should  have  been  previously  converted, 
if  they  are  not  believers  in  the  religion  of  Christ.  We 
suppose  them  to  have  been  made  acquainted  with  the  re- 
ligion of  Jesus,  and  his  character  as  their  master,  when  we 
say  they  believe  in  Christ  as  the  appointed  Savior  of  the 
world.  If  this  has  been  made  a  matter  of  gradual  educa- 
tion, (the  best  means  of  being  brought  to  know  Christ,)  it 
supersedes,  of  course,  the  necessity  of  a  less  gradual  con- 
version. There  is  much  which  passes  in  the  world  under 
the  name  of  conversion  to  God,  which  we  think  is  very 
far  from  being  so.  As  to  a  radical  change  of  nature,  it  is 
impossible  in  itself,  and  cannot,  therefore,  be  regarded  as 
a  qualification.  We  do  not  think  it  necessary  that  a  man 
should  believe  in  the  dogmas  of  any  sects ;  such  as  total 
depravity,  endless  hell  torments,  the  trinity,  vicarious 
atonement,  &c.,  to  qualify  him;  and  for  the  very  best  of 
all  reasons,  viz :  because  these  doctrines  are  not  taught  in 
the   Scriptures."     Pp.  331,  332. 

We  might  multiply  these  quotations  to  great  length ;  but 
it  will  be  seen  from  those  already  given,  that  instead  of 
imparting  light  on  the  subject,  they  only  serve  to  render 
confusion  doubly  confused.  Who  can  doubt  this?  When 
men,  who  are  writing  on  a  subject  confessedly  of  the 
greatest  possible  interest  to  man,  involving  his  happiness 
in  time  and  eternity,  instead  of  presenting  a  clear  and  ra- 
tional view  of  the  subject,  pointing  out  the  manner  in 
which  man  is  lost  and  needs  a  Savior ;  the  means  by,  and 
the  manner  in  which  this  salvation  is  to  be  effected ;  and 
showing  that  this  work  is  in  harmony  vdth  the  character 
and  government  of  God,  the  constitution  and  moral  char- 
acter of  man,  sustaining  the  whole  by  the  authority  of  the 
divine  record;  either  deal  in  mere  affirmation,  or  lose 
themselves  and  their  readers  in  speculations  unauthorized 
alike  by  chastened  reason  or  the  word  of  God. 

2'^ 


18  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I* 

There  are  but  few  impartial  readers,  who,  after  exam- 
ining the  above  quotations,  with  all  the  Universalist  wri- 
ters they  may  choose  to  consult,  and  marking  the  contra- 
dictory statements,  and  conflicting  speculations,  together 
with  the  general  obscurity  that  shrouds  the  whole  system, 
will  not  arrive  at  one  of  the  following  conclusions ;  that  is, 

1.  Universalism  is  incapable  of  being  clearly  defined 
and  intelligibly  stated  ;  or, 

2.  Those  who  are  its  most  able  and  zealous  advocates, 
are  unwilling  to  make  the  development. 

If  the  first  be  true,  it  is  strong  presumptive  evidence 
against  the  whole  system,  that  it  is  not  of  God,  but  an 
earth-born  scheme,  full  of  deadly  moral  poison.  If  the 
second  be  true,  to  say  the  least,  it  reflects  no  honor  on  its 
advocates ;  and  with  many,  must  subject  them  to  the 
charge  of  being  false  to  their  system. 

It  may  be  said  truly  of  the  great  mass  of  Universalist 
speculations  on  the  important  subject  of  man's  salvation, 
what  Mr.  J.  Kidwell,  a  Universalist  preacher  of  some 
note,  has  very  irreverently,  not  to  say,  very  wickedly  said 
of  the  Bible :  "  I  then  discovered,  for  the  first  time,  that 
by  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  Bible  is  a  perfect  neutrality 
on  the  question  (of  salvation ;)  the  body  of  the  book  being 
simply  historical,  while  a  considerable  portion  was  writ- 
ten either  enigmatically,  allegorically,  poetically,  precep- 
tively,  or  epistolatory — the  book  itself  not  being  a  system 
of  any  doctrine.  Hence  I  discovered,  that  to  collect  the 
system  of  salvation  out  of  the  Bible,  was  like  collecting 
jewels  from  a  heap  of  rubbish."  Debate  between  E. 
Ray  and  J.   Kidwell,  p.   11. 

This  is  perfect  blasphemy  against  the  Bible,  but  it  is 
strictly  true  of  the  quotations  we  have  given  above,  as, 
also,  of  Universalist  writings  in  general.  Mr.  Hosea  Bal- 
lou,  the  apostle  of  modern  Universalism,  furnishes,  how- 
ever,  some  light  on   this    otherwise    inexplicable    subject, 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  19 

(the  obscure  manner  in  which  Universalist  writers  pre- 
sent their  system;)  he  remarks,  "I  have  been  often  so- 
licited to  write  and  publish  my  general  ideas  on  the  Gos- 
pel, but  have  commonly  observed  to  my  friends,  that  it 
might  be  attended  with  disagreeable  consequences,  as  it  is 
impossible  to  determine  whether  the  ideas  we  entertain  at 
the  present  time,  are  agreeable  to  those  which  we  shall 
be  under  the  necessity  of  adopting,  after  we  have  had  more 
experience ;  and  knowing,  to  my  satisfaction,  that  authors 
are  very  liable  to  feel  such  an  attachment  to  sentiments 
which  they  have  openly  avowed  to  the  world,  that  their 
prejudice  frequently  obstructs  their  further  acquisitions  in 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  ;  and  even  in  cases  of  convic- 
tion, their  own  self-importance  will  keep  them  from  ac- 
knowledging their  mistakes  ;  and  having  some  knowledge 
of  my  own  infirmities,  I  felt  the  necessity  of  precaution, 
which  I  have  no  reason  to  believe  is,  or  has  been,  injuri- 
ous."    Ballou  on  the  Atonement,  p.  12. 

Here  indeed  is  a  solution,  to  some  extent,  of  the  diffi- 
culty— a  key  to  the  mystery.  Mr.  B.  found  it  "  impos- 
sible to  determine"  whether  the  "ideas"  he  entertained, 
were  agreeable  to  those  he  would  be  under  the  ^^  neces- 
sity^' of  adopting,  after  he  should  have  more  experience 
in  the  matter.  And  his  brethren  have  found  it  very  con- 
venient to  adopt  the  same  principle,  doubtless  for  the  same 
reason ;  knowing  that  it  is  much  easier  to  evade  an  argu- 
ment, or  change  a  position,  on  a  point  obscurely  stated, 
than  it  is  to  defend  an  absurdity,  or  renounce  an  error  that 
has  been  clearly  and  unequivocally  expressed. 

But,  after  all,  Mr.  B.  deserves  the  thanks  of  all  the  can- 
did for  so  much  of  a  concession ;  and  we  freely  award  it 
to  him. 

But  let  us  look  at  his  concession  a  little  further.  Mr.  B., 
and  all  who  act  on  the  same  principle,  either  did,  or  did 
not,  suppose  that  his    "ideas"    of  the    "Gospel,"    were 


20  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    1. 

founded  on  the  word  of  God.  If  he  did  not,  then  the 
acknowledgment  implies  that  it  was  possible,  if  not  indeed 
probable,  that  all  his  speculations  might  be  false,  and  he  be 
driven  from  them  by  the  force  of  argument  and  the  Bible, 
and  be  under  the  "  necessity  "  of  changing  his  ground,  or 
giving  up  his  speculations.  If  he  supposed  that  his  "  ideas  " 
were  founded  on  the  Scriptures,  then  it  would  appear  that 
it  was  doubtful  whether  he  understood  the  Bible  on  the 
great  subject  of  salvation;  though  the  book  says,  with 
reference,  doubtless,  to  the  fundamental  truths  and  doctrines 
of  our  salvation,  "  The  wayfaring  men,  though  fools,  shall 
not  err  therein,"  Isa.  xxxv,  8.  But  most  probably  Mr.  B. 
designed  nothing  more  than  that  Universalists  must  be  very 
cautious  how  they  commit  themselves  with  regard  to  the 
system — never  to  take  a  position  on  which  they  cannot 
change  their  ground  of  attack,  or  defense,  as  often  as  they 
are  foiled  by  argument,  or  opposed  by  the  word  of  God. 
We  are  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  this  was  what  Mr.  B. 
meant,  from  the  fact  that  he  is  quoted  by  his  brethren  as  an 
oracle ;  and  as  far  as  has  come  under  our  notice,  Universal- 
ists act  fully  upon  this  principle.  From  the  above  view  it 
will  be  hard  to  resist  the  conviction,  that  the  friends  and 
advocates  of  the  system  have  either  not  understood  the  sub- 
ject, or  that  it  cannot  be  clearly  and  intelligibly  stated,  or 
they  have  taken  pains  to  conceal  many  of  its  features  from 
the  public.  That  the  latter  is  the  fact,  few  will  doubt,  who 
are  well  acquainted  with  all  the  subtilties  and  legitimate 
consequences  of  the  system.  And  as  error  always  shuns 
the  light,  nothing  is  more  dreaded  by  Universalism  than 
stripping  it  of  its  sophistical  coat,  (if  not  of  many  colors, 
yet,)  of  many  shapes  and  forms,  wresting  from  its  hands 
the  perverted  word  of  God,  from  its  head  the  assumed 
crown  of  Gospel  piety,  and  presenting  it  to  the  world  in 
its  own  proper  character,  with  its  logical  and  moral  conse- 
quences.    To  prevent  this,   its  most  talented   friends  and 


CHAP.    I.]  UMVERSALISM    DEFINED.  21 

advocates  have  rallied  around  it  with  a  studied  eflbrt,  and 
have  applied  themselves  with  a  zeal  worthy  the  cause  of 
truth  itself;  well  knowing,  that  fully  to  develop  the  sys- 
tem, is  to  do  much  to  refute  it. 

And  while  we  admire  their  industry,  and,  on  some  occa- 
sions, have  felt  sympathy  for  them  in  their  difficult,  and 
worse  than  useless  labor,  we  have  nevertheless  sat  down  to 
do  our  part  in  bringing  the  system  from  its  obscurity,  and 
presenting  it  in  its  true  character.  We  are  not  unadvised 
of  the  fact,  however,  that  Universalism  often  assumes  a 
sanctity  which  seems  to  challenge  the  highest  deference 
and  respect ;  and  if  we  dare  to  inquire  into  its  character 
and  claims  as  a  system  of  Bible  Christianity,  it  must  be 
done  with  the  utmost  delicacy  and  tenderness;  and  when 
we  have  conceded  its  claims  to  sanctity,  and  have  met  it  on 
this  ground,  and  refuted  it  with  the  clearest  reasoning,  and 
the  plain  testimony  of  the  word  of  God,  it  turns  away  with 
almost  haughty  triumph,  and  charges  our  mildness  with 
imbecility,  our  arguments  with  bare  assertion  or  sophistry, 
and  our  Scripture  testimony  with  perversion.  On  the  other 
hand,  if  we  meet  it  with  all  the  promptness  and  plainness 
that  the  interests  involved,  and  the  importance  of  the  sub- 
ject require,  and  from  which  truth  never  shrinks,  then 
indeed  we  are  charged,  if  not  with  rudeness  and  vul- 
garity, at  least  with  a  great  want  of  courtesy  and  refine- 
ment. 

In  the  present  case  we  will  cheerfully  submit  to  the  cen- 
sure, and  proceed  to  treat  with  plainness  and  candor  the 
most  weighty  and  important  subject  that  can  occupy  the 
mind  of  man.  Without  detaining  the  reader  with  an  ac- 
count of  the  less  important  features  of  Universalism,  we 
will  endeavor  to  collect  and  present  the  principles  which 
are  vital  to  the  system,  and  which,  if  proved  to  be  erro- 
neous and  false,  will,  like  the  head  and  heart,  draw  all  the 
inferior  members  with  them. 


22  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

First.  Universalism  maintains  that  the  whole  human 
family^  including  each  individual  member  thereof,  will 
be  brought  unconditionally,  and  without  the  possibility 
of  a  failure,  into  a  state  of  eternal  salvation  and  glory 
in  heaven. 

This  is  the  great  theological  centre  of  gravitation  to  the 
Universalist  world ;  and  whatever  may  be  their  conflicting 
speculations  on  other  matters,  they  all  rally  to  this  point. 
And  although  some  attempt  to  climb  up  one  way,  and 
others  another  way,  and  but  few  of  them  agree  in  the  de- 
tails, as  it  regards  the  manner  of  compassing  the  object, 
they,  as  by  common  consent,  agree  to  make  this  the  centre — 
the  great  bond  of  union. 

Secondly.  Uinversalism  holds,  that  the  general  judg- 
tnent,  or  all  the  judgment  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  takes 
place  in  this  world. 

It  is  nevertheless  true,  that  Universalists  are  not  agreed 
among  themselves  as  to  the  time  of  the  judgment,  even  in 
this  world ;  for  some  believe  that  the  general  judgment, 
spoken  of  in  the  Bible,  has  special  reference  to  the  Jews — 
the  destruction  of  their  temple  and  city,  their  civil  and 
religious  polity,  and  their  dispersion  among  the  nations  of 
the  earth ;  and  as  this  fearful  catastrophe  has  transpired, 
of  course  the  judgment  is  past,  and  the  language  of  the 
Bible  on  the  subject  of  a  general  judgment  is  to  be  inter- 
preted with  special  reference  to  that  event. 

Others  believe  that  the  judgment  is  progressive— that 
God  judged  the  world  in  person  from  the  beginning,  till 
the  time  Christ  came,  when  all  judgment  was  delivered 
over  to  him  ;  and  that  he  has  judged,  is  now  judging,  and 
will  continue  to  judge  the  world,  and  reward  the  good  and 
punish  the  bad  in  this  life,  to  the  close  of  time,  when  all 
having  been  punished  according  to  their  sins,  and  rewarded 
according  to  their  virtues  and  piety,  will  be  saved  together 
in  heaven.     It  will  be   seen  that,   notwithstanding  the  dif- 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  23 

ference  of  opinion  on  the  solemn  subject  of  the  judgment, 
all  agree  in  confining  it  to  this  world.  Universalists,  how- 
ever, on  this  as  well  as  other  features  of  their  theory,  are 
far  from  being  always  plain,  whether  they  treat  on  it  from 
the  pulpit  or  the  press ;  for,  although  some  of  them  are 
pathetic  while  dwelling  on  the  judgment,  they  rarely  ever 
inform  their  hearers  that  these  transactions  have  no  possible 
reference  whatever  to  the  future  world,  and  that  they  are 
either  all  passed,  or  are  now  taking  place  among  us  in  this 
life.  This  want  of  plainness  has  left  the  matter  in  such 
obscurity,  that  some  may  question  whether  the  above  is  a 
correct  view  of  the  subject.  To  remove  every  doubt  from 
the  mind,  we  remark,  let  any  one  carry  the  scenes  of  the 
general  judgment,  as  described  in  the  Bible,  into  the  future 
world,  and  there  witness  the  final  separation  of  the  righteous 
and  the  wicked,  with  their  endless  destiny,  and  see  whether 
Universalism  could  stand  for  a  moment.  No.  An  admis- 
sion that  these  scenes  belong  to  the  future  world,  would 
scatter  the  system  to  the  winds  of  heaven  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye. 

Thirdly.  Universalism  maintains  that  every  sinner 
will  be  punished  in  this  world  in  exact  proportion  to  the 
number  and  magnitude  of  his  sins,  according  to  the  de- 
cisions of  the  justice  of  God,  and  that  the  righteous, 
also,  shall  be  rewarded  in  this  world  for  all  their  suf- 
ferings and  piety. 

As  this  is  an  important  point  in  Universalist  theology, 
and  is  called  by  some  of  its  distinguished  teachers  the 
"moral  power"  of  the  system;  and  yet,  as  its  language 
is  so  foreign  from  that  of  the  Bible,  which  everywhere 
promises  pardon  to  the  penitent,  it  may  be  matter  of  doubt 
with  some  whether  this  is  one  of  the  fundamental  doc- 
trines of  the  system.  To  make  this  clear,  let  it  be  re- 
marked, 1.  The  theory  denies  all  punishment  for  sin  in  the 
future   world.     This   will  not  be   questioned   by  any  ex- 


24  UMVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [ciIAP.    I. 

cept  Restorationists,  whose  case  sliall  not  be  overlooked. 
2.  As  will  be  seen  liereafter,  because  the  system  denies  all 
pardon  for  sin,  it  follows,  therefore,  that  if  the  sinner  is 
punished  at  all,  it  must  be  in  this  world,  otherwise  men 
may  live  and  die  in  the  most  abandoned  wickedness,  as  is 
the  fact  in  multiplied  mstances,  and  yet  be  endlessly  happy 
in  heaven,  without  being  either  reformed,  pardoned,  or 
punished.  3.  This  would  license  every  sinner  to  live  and 
die  in  sin,  and  yet  assure  him  of  heaven — would  destroy 
all  distinction  of  vice  and  virtue,  sin  and  holiness. 

Fourthly.  Universalism  maintains  that  there  will  he 
a  general  resurrection  of  the  dead ;  at  which  time  every 
human  being  will  be  raised  in  immortality,  purity,  and 
glory,  and  every  knee  shall  how,  every  tongue  confess, 
all  tears  be  iviped  away,  and  all  mankind  be  endlessly 
happy  in  heaven. 

In  contemplating  this  imaginary  scene,  many  Universal- 
ists  profess  great  exultation.  But  we  apprehend,  that  in 
investigating  this  theory  in  the  light  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, we  will  discover  reasons  to  believe,  that  the  day  of 
judgment  will  exhibit  a  widely  different  scene,  and  to  fear 
that  then  not  a  few  who  have  paid  greater  deference  to 
their  own,  or  the  speculations  of  others,  than  to  the  word  of 
God,  will  see  in  the  light  of  eternity  the  sacrifice  they  have 
made,  when  it  will  be  too  late  to  escape  the  fearful  con- 
sequences. 

Aware  of  the  fact,  that  Universalists  generally,  in  teach- 
ing and  defending  their  system,  refuse  to  be  governed  by 
the  published  opinions  and  statements  of  their  brethren, 
each  reserving  to  himself  the  privilege  of  giving  his  own 
version  in  his  own  way,  as  may  best  suit  the  exigency  of 
the  times,  we  have  given  specimens,  in  the  quotations  al- 
ready made,  of  their  manner  of  treating  the  subject;  and 
have  collected  from  the  whole  mass  the  above  cardinal  doc- 
trines  of  the  scheme,  in  preference  to  using  the   precise 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  25 

language,  or  followiuii-  the  statements  of  any  one  writer  on 
the  subject. 

Of  this  there  can  be  no  reasonable  complaint,  if  the  vital 
doctrines  of  tiie  system  have  been  fairly  presented.  And 
that  such  is  the  fact,  will  appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  ev- 
ery candid  mind  on  a  moment's  reflection.  For  example, 
let  it  be  conceded,  that  in  the  general  resurrection  some  of 
our  race  will  rise  to  condemnation,  eternal  shame,  and  con- 
tempt ;  or,  instead  of  sinners  being  punished  for  their  sins 
in  this  world,  they  must  be  reformed  and  made  holy  in 
this,  without  which  they  never  can  see  God  or  be  happy 
in  heaven;  or  that  the  general  judgment  will  take  place  in 
the  future  world ;  either  of  which  suppositions  must  irre- 
coverably ruin  Universalism.  It  is,  therefore,  indisputa- 
bly clear,  that  whatever  modifications  and  shades  individ- 
uals may  give  those  doctrines,  they  must  maintain  them, 
in  substance,  as  vital  to  the  system,  and  without  which  it 
cannot  possibly  exist. 

We  have,  therefore,  before  us  the  affirmative  doctrines 
of  Universalism ;  no  one  of  which  has  ever  been  recog- 
nized by  the  Church  of  Christ  as  an  article  of  Christian 
faith,  and  all  of  which  have  been,  direcdy  or  indirectly, 
condemned  by  the  Church,  as  heretical  and  false. 

But  even  this  view  of  the  system,  repugnant  as  it  is  to 
the  faith  of  the  Church,  the  doctrines  of  our  holy  Chris- 
tianity, and  of  which  the  boldest  skepticism  and  infidelity 
can  find  but  very  little  to  complain,  would  be  incomparably 
less  objectionable  with  the  pious,  if  it  stopped  here;  but 
in  order  infallibly  to  secure  the  final  results  contemplated, 
it  has  necessarily  to  discard  and  totally  reject  many,  if  not 
all,  the  cardinal  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  renders  it  necessary  for  us  to  present  the  negative  po- 
sitions of  Universalism;  and, 

First.  Universalism  rejects  the  doctrine  of  a  future 
general  judgment ;  in  tvhich  all  angelic  and  human  be- 

3 


26  UNIVERSAJLISM    DEFINED.  [^CHAP.  I. 

ings^  including  the  morally  good  and  bad,  will  be  judged 
according  to  their  moral  characters  and  works  ;  and  the 
morally  good  and  holy  will  be  rewarded  with  everlasting 
happiness  in  heaven,  and  the  morally  bad  and  unholy  be 
endlessly  punished  in  hell. 

If  the  doctrine  of  a  future  general  judgment  and  retri- 
bution be  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  such  is  its  impor- 
tance, so  vast  and  incalculable  the  interests  involved,  that 
any  system  of  religion  that  rejects  and  denies  the  doc- 
trine, must,  in  the  judgment  of  all  intelligent  Christian 
communities,  forfeit  at  once  all  claim  even  to  the  name  of 
Bible  Christianity. 

The  friends  of  Universalism,  aware  of  the  consequen- 
ces, have  evinced  no  little  skill  in  keeping  this  feature  of 
the  system,  in  part,  or  in  whole,  out  of  view;  conse- 
quently, many  who  profess  to  believe,  and  many  who  do 
not  believe  in  the  system,  when  they  hear  it  announced, 
that  Universalism  rejects  the  doctrine  of  a  future  general 
judgment,  contend  that  it  is  either  misunderstood  or  will- 
fully misrepresented. 

That  the  point  may  be  settled  beyond  a  reasonable 
doubt,  we  remark,  1.  Universalism  either  does,  or  does 
not,  reject  the  doctrine  of  a  future  general  judgment.  This 
proposition  is  stated  so  clearly  as  to  render  evasion  impos- 
sible. 2.  If  the  system  does  not  deny  this  doctrine,  then, 
indeed,  the  charge  against  it  is  incorrect. 

But  this  is  not  all ;  for  if  it  proves  the  charge  to  be  un- 
true, by  admitting  a  future  general  judgment,  in  which 
some  men  and  angels  will  be  condemned  to  endless  pun- 
ishment, the  same  admission  proves  Universalism  to  be 
wholly  false ;  therefore,  the  system  must  admit  the  charge 
of  wholly  rejecting  the  doctrine  as  stated  albove,  or  cease 
to  contend  for  an  existence. 

Secoyidly.  Universalism  denies  that  the  most  deep-set- 
tled and   confirmed  depravity  of  the  human  heart,    the 


CHAP.    I.J  UMVERSALISM    DEFINED.  2T 

most  abandoned  wickedness  of  life,  together  with  the  most 
stubborn  unbelief  in  death,  can,  by  any  possibility^  pre- 
ve?if,  or  in  any  wise  endanger,  the  idtimate  holiness  and 
happiness  of  man  in  heaven. 

At  this  feature  many  may  be  surprised,  while  the  sys- 
tem itself  may  instinctively  shrink  from  the  light  of  this 
development,  and  doubtless  its  friends  will  make  an  effort 
to  save  it  from  the  consequences,  by  endeavoring  to  con- 
trovert the  statement;  and  as  we  are  not  now  examining, 
but  only  stating  the  system,  we  will  endeavor  to  settle  each 
point  as  we  pass,  so  that  there  will  be  little  probability  of 
mistake  by  the  candid,  or  oossibility  of  escape  or  evasion 
by  the  system. 

That  all  concerned  may  see  this  point  clearly,  and  fully 
feel  its  force,  we  refer  to  the  melancholy  matters  of  fact, 
that  many  sinners  of  the  most  depraved,  corrupt,  and  aban- 
doned character,  do  die  in  stubborn  unbelief,  even  profa- 
ning the  name  of  God  with  their  expiring  breath.  Now, 
we  ask,  and  have  a  right  to  demand  a  direct  answer,  Does 
their  wickedness  through  life,  and  profanity  in  death,  de- 
prive them  of  endless  happiness  in  heaven  after  death  ? 
If  the  system  answers  in  the  affirmative,  it  thereby  con- 
victs itself  of  being  utterly  false,  and  gives  up  its  very  ex- 
istence. If  in  the  negative,  with  its  own  hand  it  indorses 
the  correctness  of  the  charge  as  stated  above. 

Thirdly.  Uiiiversalism  denies  that  reformation,  faith, 
and  love,  or  holiness  of  heart  and  life  in  this  world,  are 
at  all  essential  as  a  condition,  or  means,  to  secure  endless 
happiness  in  the  future  world. 

But  its  supporters  are,  on  this  as  well  as  other  points,  far 
from  making  it  a  matter  of  frequent  and  public  explanation  ; 
so  that  all  may  fully  understand  the  system,  with  all  its 
characteristic  peculiarities  ;  and,  to  say  the  least,  they  are 
willing  that  those  features  should  sleep  in  comparative  ob- 
scurity. 


28  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

Fully  to  settle  this  question,  we  have  only  again  to  recur 
to  matters  of  fact;  namely,  tliat  men  do  live  and  die  unre- 
formed,  in  unbelief,  destitute  of  holiness  of  heart  and  life. 
Universalism  is  compelled  either  to  maintain,  or  deny,  their 
salvation  in  heaven.  If  it  maintains  their  salvation  in  the 
future  world,  though  they  were  wholly  destitute  of  proper 
moral  qualifications  in  this  life,  it  fully  admits  the  charge 
of  rejecting  such  moral  qualification  in  this  world,  as  not 
at  all  necessary  as  a  condition  of  final  salvation.  If  it  de- 
nies their  salvation  in  heaven,  such  denial  must  wholly 
destroy  the  system. 

Fourthly.  Universalism  denies  that  God  ever  has  par- 
doned, or  ever  will  pardon ^  one  sin  committed  by  man  in 
this  world,  in  the  sense  of  remitting  the  punishment ^  or 
any  part  thereof. 

As  the  teachers  of  the  system  have  been  more  explicit 
on  this  than  on  many  other  points,  it  is  only  necessary  here 
to  refer  any  who  may  have  doubts  on  the  subject,  to  our 
quotation  from  Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas,  who  is  always  good 
authority  on  Universalism,  and  to  give  the  testimony  of 
Mr.  T.  Whittemore.  Mr.  W.,  in  opposing  the  doctrine  of 
punishment  for  sin  in  the  future,  says  :  "  We  are  compelled 
to  declare,  that  the  whole  evidence  of  Scripture  is  on  the 
contrary  side.  *  *  *  Now,  to  say  that  man  shall 
sin  on  the  earth,  and  suffer  the  recompense  in  some  other 
state  of  being,  is  alike  reasonable  with  saying,  that  a  man 
who  sows  a  field  of  grain  in  Massachusetts,  shall  reap  the 
harvest  in  some  other  state."  Plain  Guide  to  Universal- 
ism, p.  265. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  the  system  maintains  that  God  will 
pardon  the  sinner,  but  will  punish  him  to  the  full  extent 
for  all  his  sins.     This  will  be  examined  in  its  proper  place. 

Fifthly.  Universalism  denies  the  unoriginatcd  and  in- 
finite divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost. 


CHAP.    I.'j  liMVERSALlSM    DEFINED.  '3§ 

On  this  point  we  are  aware  its  friends  would  like  gener- 
ally to  be  silent,  or  at  least,  not  definite,  in  the  expression 
of  opinion.  And  when  pressed  on  the  subject,  they  gen- 
erally take  that  ground  which  presents  fewest  difficulties, 
and  promises  the  greatest  probability  of  success.  This 
was  fully  illustrated  in  two  interviews  we  had  with  Mr.  D. 
R.  Biddlecom,  a  distinguished  Universalist  preacher,  [n 
the  first,  after  evading  the  point  for  a  time,  when  urged  to 
it,  he  took  his  position,  and  denied  entirely  the  absolute 
divinity  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  also  positively  denied  that  he 
was  an  object  of  religious  worship.  The  same  gentleman, 
about  a  year  subsequently,  when  circumstances  brought  us 
together  again  in  the  public  discussion  of  Universalism, 
remembering,  doubtless,  the  difficulties  attending  his  former 
position,  took  the  opposite  ground  on  the  divinity,  and 
affirmed  the  infinite  nature,  perfections,  and  divinity  of 
Christ.  And  when  reminded  that  he  had  either  changed 
his  position  to  avoid  difficulties,  or  had  really  changed  his 
sentiments  on  the  subject,  he  chose  to  pass  it  without  reply 
or  explanation. 

And  in  ord.n-  to  show  that  the  admission  of  the  divmity 
of  Christ  by  Universalists,  does  not  at  all  relieve  their  sys- 
tem, we  will  here  notice  the  disposition  Mr.  Biddlecom 
made  of  it.  He  used  it  as  though  he  had  really  made  a 
new  discovery  in  favor  of  Universalism,  by  affirming  the 
perfect  equality  in  infinity,  nature,  perfections,  power,  and 
glory  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  To  secure  all 
this  in  favor  of  the  system,  he  stated  that  Christ  must 
redeem  just  as  many  human  beings  as  the  Father  created, 
otherwise  the  glory  of  Christ  would  not  be  equal  to  that  of 
the  Father;  and  the  Holy  Ghost  must  sanctify  just  as 
many  as  the  Father  created  and  Christ  redeemed,  otherwise 
his  glory  would  not  be  equal  with  that  of  the  Father  and 
the  Son.  But  as  the  Father  created  all  human  beings  and 
the  Son  redeemed  all,  therefore  the  Holv  Ghost  must  sane- 
st 


30  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

tify  all,  and  as  a  matter  of  course,  Universalism  must  be 
true  !  But  this  view,  instead  of  diminishing  the  difficul- 
ties, only  multiplies  them.  For,  not  recognizing  the  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  three  persons  existing  in  the  one 
eternal,  infinite,  immutable,  and  undivided  Godhead,  and 
the  works  and  glory  of  either  of  the  persons,  whether  of 
creation,  providence,  redemption  or  sanctification,  as  the 
works  and  glory  of  all  the  three  persons  in  the  one  undi- 
vided Deity  ;  it  considers  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost, 
as  three  separate  and  distinct  beings,  each  infinite  in  nature 
and  perfections,  holding  a  kind  of  rivalship  for  equality  of 
glory.     On  this  view  let  it  be  remarked, 

1.  It  is  in  itself  an  absurdity,  to  suppose  the  existence 
of  three  separate  and  distinct  infinite  beings.  2.  If  the 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  be  three  separate  and  distinct 
infinite  beings,  each  has  an  equal  right  to  demand  of  us 
divine  religious  worship ;  and  were  we  to  render  such  wor- 
ship, we  must  do  it  in  open  violation  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, which  say,  "  Thou  shalt  worship  the  Lord  thy  God, 
and  him  only  shalt  thou  serve,"  Matt,  iv,  10.  3.  To  obey 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  worship  only  one  God,  while  there 
are  two  others,  equal  in  nature  and  perfections,  would  utterly 
destroy  the  whole  speculation ;  that  is,  their  equality  of 
glory — for  one  would  have  all  the  glory  of  the  worship  of 
all  mankind,  while  the  other  two  would  be  denied  that 
glory,  and  that  too,  after  one  had  redeemed  the  whole 
human  race,  and  the  other  sanctified  them. 

But  this  is  not  tlie  only  difficulty.  The  above  position 
assumes  that  the  Holy  Ghost  must  sanctify  the  whole 
human  family.  If  so,  it  must  be  done  either  in  this  or  the 
future  world.  That  the  Holy  Ghost  does  not  sanctify  every 
man  in  this  world,  awful  demonstration  is  furnished  in  the 
death  of  every  finally  impenitent  sinner.  And  we  may 
challenge  the  entire  strength  of  Universalism,  to  produce 
one  plain  testimony  from  the  word  of  God,  that  the  Holy 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  31 

Ghost  ever  has  sanctified,  or  ever  will  sanctify  one  single 
sinner  who  has  lived,  or  shall  have  lived  and  died,  in  volun- 
tary unholiness  and  sin.  We  repeat  it,  we  will  yield  the 
whole  controversy,  if  Universalism  will  produce  one  plain 
text  in  proof  of  the  point.  There  is,  therefore,  no  alter- 
native for  Universalism,  but  either,  1.  To  own  the  above 
consequences  and  absurdities,  which  will  be,  in  effect,  to 
abjure  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God ;  or  embrace  the 
doctrine  of  the  Trinity,  which  would  be  to  give  up  its  great 
distinctive  feature,  that  it  is  anti-trinitarian ;  or,  3.  Admit 
the  charge  that  we  make  against  the  system,  that  it  denies 
the  absolute,  unoriginated  divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
and  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

Sixthly.  Universalism,  having  rejected  the  absolute 
divinity  of  Jesus  Christy  as  a  matter  of  course,  denies 
the  vicarious  sufferings  and  atonement  of  the  Savior. 

This  is  a  point  of  much  importance,  and  with  all  ortho- 
dox Christians,  it  is  a  pillar  in  the  Christian  superstructure, 
and  to  deny  which,  is  virtually  to  renounce  the  Bible,  as 
the  only  "  sufficient  rule  both  of  our  faith  and  practice." 
And  that  the  reader  may  see  that  this  is  not  a  misrepresen- 
tation of  Universalism,  we  refer  him  again  to  the  creed  of 
Mr.  Thomas,  as  previously  quoted.  There  he  will  find 
that  Mr.  T.  says,  "  I  reject  the  doctrine  of  vicarious  atone- 
ment." And  indeed,  however  inconsistent  and  contradic- 
tory the  system  may  be,  in  other  respects,  it  is  consistent 
in  rejecting  the  vicarious  atonement  of  Christ,  having  de- 
nied his  absolute  divinity.  Because  every  being,  however 
dignified  his  nature  and  character,  if  he  possess  but  a 
created  or  "  derived"  existence,  is  necessarily  a  dependent 
being,  and  owes  perfect  and  perpetual  obedience  to  his 
superior — his  Creator.  In  this  relation,  were  it  even  pos- 
sible for  him  to  do  the  work  of  others,  or  suffer  in  their 
stead,  (as  no  dependent  creature  can  obey  for  himself  and 
others  at  the  same  time,)  in  the  very  act  of  benefiting  them. 


32  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

he  must  violate  his  own  obligations  of  obedience,  sacrifice 
his  own  innocence,  and  become  a  delinquent  to  his  Maker. 
Therefore,  if  Christ  is  not  absolutely  divine,  he  must  be 
absolutely  dependent ;  and  if  this  be  his  character,  it  is  per- 
fectly absurd  to  attribute  to  him  the  work  of  a  vicarious 
atonement.  Universalism  having  rejected  the  divinity,  if 
it  were  disposed  to  retain  the  vicarious  suffering  and  atone- 
ment of  Jesus  Christ,  would  do  it  at  the  expense  of  all 
consistency  and  reason,  both  of  nature  and  theology. 

Again :  having  taken  the  ground  clearly  and  distinctly, 
that  God  will  inevitably  punish  every  sinner  in  this  world 
according  to  his  crimes,  for  Universalism  to  retain  the  vica- 
rious suffering  and  atonement  by  Christ,  would  be  to  attri- 
bute the  highest  injustice  to  the  Almighty ;  for  if  God 
will  punish  the  sinner  in  this  life,  without  the  possibility 
of  escape,  for  all  his  sins,  it  would  have  been  perfectly 
unjust  for  him  to  have  laid  the  punishment  for  the  same 
sins  on  Christ.  On  the  other  hand,  if  Christ  has  borne  the 
punishment  due  to  sin  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree,  it  would 
surely  be  unjust  to  punish  man  also,  for  the  same  sins,  if 
he  repents,  believes,  and  obeys  God. 

Seventhly.  Universalism  denies  and  rejects  all  condi- 
tionality^  as  it  regards  raan's  future  and  final  salvation  ; 
that  is,  that  there  is  any  conditio?!,  act,  or  work,  which 
man  can  perforin,  or  the  utter  neglect  of  which  by  him, 
can  endanger  his  ultimate  salvation  in  heaven. 

Universalists,  however,  are  extremely  reluctant  to  admit 
this  negative  feature  of  their  system ;  and  some  of  them  dis- 
play no  little  ingenuity  in  obscuring  the  subject.  They  fre- 
quently proclaim  a  conditional  salvation,  and  denounce  the 
heaviest  threatenings  on  the  guilty  delinquent  for  not  per- 
forming those  conditions  on  whch  this  salvation  depends. 
All  this,  however,  is  well  calculated,  if  not  designed,  to  mis- 
lead the  credulous  and  unsuspecting ;  for  they  understand 
them   to  use  theological  language  in  the  same   sense  that 


CHAP.    1.3  UMVERSAL1S3I    DEFINED.  33 

Christian  teachers  generally  use  it,  while  just  the  contrary 
is  true.  For  example,  does  the  conditional  salvation,  as 
taught  by  Universalism,  refer  to  this  or  the  future  world? 
If  it  is  answered,  to  this  world,  the  point  is  conceded,  that 
man's  final  salvation  in  heaven  is  unconditional.  If  it  re- 
fers to  the  future  world,  then  every  one  who  lives  and  dies 
without  faith  and  repentance,  or  without  performing  the 
conditions,  cannot  be  saved  ;  and  as  many  thus  live  and 
die,  every  such  case  is  unanswerable  proof  against  the  sys- 
tem. Again,  do  the  fearful  punishments  that  Universalism 
denounces  against  the  delinquent  for  the  non-performance 
of  the  conditions  of  his  salvation,  refer  to  this  or  the  fu- 
ture world  ?  Whatever  may  be  the  answer,  the  same  con- 
clusions follow  as  stated  above.  Another  attempt  is  made 
to  evade  the  point,  by  admitting  that  our  final  salvation  is 
conditional.  This,  at  first  sight,  appears  to  reach  the  case. 
But  the  evasion  is  easily  detected,  by  a  single  inquiry  and 
a  direct  answer;  namely,  Does  the  performance  of  the 
conditions  on  which  this  salvation  depends,  belong  to  man 
or  to  God  ?  If  the  answer  is,  to  man,  the  delinquency  of 
the  impenitent  sinner  in  life  and  death,  is  demonstration 
alike  against  his  own  salvation  and  the  truth  of  Univer- 
salism. If  to  God,  this  brings  us  again  to  the  same  con- 
clusion, that  man's  final  salvation  in  heaven  is  secured  un- 
conditionally by  the  Almighty,  irrespective  of  any  thing 
that  he  can  do  to  secure,  or  omit  and  neglect  to  endanger 
or  prevent  it.  On  this  subject  Mr.  Biddlecom,  in  the  dis- 
cussions already  allude!  to,  repeatedly  affirmed,  that  though 
our  salvation  in  heaven  is  conditional,  God  performs  the 
conditions.  Other  distinguished  Universalist  preachers  have 
taken  the  same  position,  while  investigating  the  subject 
with  the  writer. 

Eighthly.  As  a  part  of  the  above  feature  of  the  sys- 
tem, and  as  a  tiecessary  consequence,  Universalism  de- 
nies the  free  moral  agency  and  accotmtahilHy  of  man 


34  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

to  his  Maker,  so  far,  at  least,  as  that  free  agency  can  by 
any  means  afftct  his  final  holiness  and  happiness  in 
heaven. 

But  as  Universalists,  at  this  period  of  increased  and 
spreading  moral  and  religious  light  and  knowledge,  evince 
on  some  occasions  great  reluctance  to  own  the  true  po- 
sition of  their  system  on  the  point;  and  that  it  may  be 
seen,  nevertheless,  that  such  is  the  fact,  let  it  be  remarked, 
1.  To  admit  that  man  is  a  free  agent  with  regard  to  his 
salvation  in  heaven,  is  to  admit  that  salvation  to  be  condi- 
tional. 2.  That  which  is  conditional  may  take  place,  or  it 
may  not,  otherwise  it  is  an  abuse  of  language  and  com- 
mon sense  to  call  it  conditional.  3.  It  follows  that  men 
may,  or  may  not,  be  saved,  just  as  they  comply  with  or 
neglect  the  conditions  of  their  final  salvation.  This  would 
be  ruinous  to  Universalism.  But  further,  distinguished 
Universalist  preachers  have  more  than  intimated  a  denial 
of  man's  free  moral  agency  altogether,  as  will  be  seen  in 
the  following  quotation  from  Mr.  Hosea  Ballon. 

*'  Now,  to  reason  justly,  we  must  conclude,  that  if 
God  possess  infinite  wisdom,  he  could  never  intend  any 
thing  to  take  place,  or  be,  that  will  not  take  place,  or  be  ; 
nor  that  which  is,  or  will  be,  not  to  be,  at  the  time  when  it 
is.  And  it  must  be  considered  erroneous  to  suppose  that 
the  All-wise  ever  desired  any  thing  to  take  place,  which,  by 
his  wisdom,  he  knew  would  not;  as  such  a  supposition 
must,  in  effect,  suppose  a  degree  of  misery  in  the  eternal 
mind,  equal  to  the  strength  of  his  fruitless  desire."  Bal- 
lou  on  the  Atonement,  p.  17.  There  is  more  than  an 
intimation  that  "  whatever  is,  is  right."  The  language 
speaks  for  itself;  but  we  reserve  our  remarks  for  another 
place. 

Ninthly.  Universalism  denies  the  doctrines  of  the  fall 
of  man,  and  the  consequent  hereditary  universal  deprav- 
ity of  the  human   heart,  and  considers  the  account   of 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  35 

man's  apostasy,  as  recorded  in  the  Bible^  to  he  merely 
allegorical,  or  figurative. 

On  this  point  we  will  only  give  some  quotations  on  the 
creation  and  fall  of  man,  from  Mr.  Ballou.  His  remarks 
are,  "  We  are  informed,  that  God  created  man  in  his  own 
image ;  that  he  blessed  him,  and  set  him  over  the  works  of 
his  hands.         *       *       *  g^t  what  was  this  image  of 

God,  in  which  man  was  created?  Answer,  it  was  Christ, 
who,  in  Scripture,  is  called  'the  beginning  of  the  crea- 
tion of  God.'  *  *  *  If  Christ  be  the  image  of 
God,  and  man  was  created  in  God's  image,  it  is  plain,  that 
man  was  created  in  Christ,  was  blessed  in  Christ,  and  in 
Christ  set  over  the  works  of  God's  hands.  After  God  had 
finished  his  work  of  creation,  consecrated  the  seventh  day 
and  rested  from  his  labor,  we  are  informed  that  there  was 
not  a  man  to  till  the  ground.  This  information  is  rea- 
sonable, and  authorizes  me  to  say,  that  as  man  stood  in  his 
created  character,  which  is  Christ,  the  heavenly  man,  he 
was  not  at  that  time  formed  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  was 
not  of  the  earth,  earthly,  and,  therefore,  was  not  a  tiller  of 
the  ground.  We  are  then  informed,  by  the  sacred  text, 
that  God  formed  (not  created)  man  of  the  dust  of  the 
ground,  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  where- 
by man  became  a  living  soul,  or  creature. 

"Man  is  now  a  partaker  of  flesh  and  blood;  is,  as  the 
apostle  says,  '  7nade  subject  to  vanity,  not  willingly,  but 
by  reason  of  him  who  subjected  the  same  in  hope.'  He 
has  now  not  an  immortal,  but  a  mortal  constitution  ;  is  pos- 
sessed of  natural  appetites  and  passions  ;  and  being  unac- 
quainted with  the  ways  of  his  own  imperfect  self,  knew 
neither  the  good  or  evil  of  a  mortal  state.  *  *  *  * 
As  man  stood  in  his  formed  state,  clothed  with  mortal 
flesh  and  blood,  before  his  mind  became  obsequious  to  the 
elementary  passions,  a  law  was  shadowed  to  his  mind  from 
the  heavenly  and  spiritual  man.     The  full  spirit,  power, 


36  UMVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

and  beauty  of  the  law,  were  not  perfectly  understood,  only 
a  shadow  of  the  heavenly  nature  passed  on  his  mind;  and 
the  nature  of  that  spirit  being  eternal,  and  immortally  pure, 
was  opposed  to  the  passions  which  would  immediately 
rise  from  the  fleshly  nature,  and  said  in  the  understanding 
of  the  creature,  already  made  subject  to  vanity,  yield  not 
to  the  passions  and  powers  of  the  Jlesh,  for  they  are 
death.  But  immediately  the  powerful  vibrations  of  the 
flesldy  nature  absorbed  his  mind,  he  sought  to  the  carnal 
man  for  food,  ate  and  died.  These  things  are  figuratively 
represented  in  the  Scriptures.  There  the  man  is  repre- 
sented as  being  placed  in  a  garden  of  delights,  to  keep  it 
and  to  dress  it.  The  tree  of  life  was  in  it,  Slc.  *  *  * 
The  garden,  undoubtedly,  meant  the  moral  state  in  which 
man  was  placed,  which,  like  a  garden,  would  become  foul, 
if  it  were  not  dressed  and  kept.  The  tree  of  life  was 
then,  what  it  is  now,  the  law  of  the  spirit  of  life  in  Christ 
Jesus ;  and  the  little  of  that  spirit  which  was  then  mani- 
fested, was  all  the  moral  life  which  man  possessed  at  that 
time ;  and,  therefore,  all  which  he  was  able  to  sin  against. 
The  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil  was,  what  it 
is  now,  the  fleshly  nature,  which  I  have  before  described. 
*  *  *  The  serpent  signifies  the  carnal  mind,  which 
is  enmity  against  God,  is  not  subject  to  the  law  of  the 
heavenly  man,  neither  indeed  can  be.  The  carnal  mind 
getting  the  victory  over  the  law  of  life,  in  the  understand- 
ing of  the  creature,  is  meant  by  the  woman's  being  de- 
ceived." Ballon  on  the  Atonement,  pp.  31,  32,  33,  34. 
We  have  not  detained  the  reader  with  this  long  quota- 
tion, either  for  its  logical  or  theological  strength  or  beauty, 
but  to  show  that  Universalism  denies  the  plain,  correct, 
Scriptural  account  of  the  fall  and  depravity  of  man.  The 
quotation  is  important,  however,  on  another  account,  as 
Mr.  B.  maintains  that  the  ''spirit^'  of  man  is  ''immo7'- 
tally  piircy     This  furnishes  a  key,  ns  will  appear  hereaf- 


CHAP.    I.]  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  37 

ter,  to  another  subtle  evasion  of  Universalists.  The  same 
principle  was  extorted  from  Mr.  Biddlecom  in  our  discus- 
sion in  Lexington.  This  "  immortal  purity  of  the  spirit," 
as  distinguished  from  the  soul  of  man,  together  with  the 
view  taken  of  the  resurrection,  are  of  incalculable  impor- 
tance to  Universalism,  as  will  be  seen  in  its  proper  place. 
Having  endeavored  to  remove  some  of  the  rubbish  in  which 
Universalism  is  so  much  obscured,  we  will  bring  the  sys- 
tem to  view  in  a  condensed  form,  that  it  may  be  seen,  at 
once,  in  its  true  character,  and  that  it  may  be  understood 
alike  in  what  it  denies  and  rejects,  and  what  it  believes  and 
retains  of  Bible  theology. 

And,  first,  the  affirmative  fundamental  doctrines  of  Uni- 
versalism. 

I.  "  Universalism  maintains  that  the  whole  human  family, 
including  each  individual  member  thereof,  will  be  brought 
unconditionally,  and  without  the  possibility  of  a  failure, 
into  a  state  of  eternal  salvation  and  glory  in  heaven." 

II.  "Universalism  holds  that  the  general  judgment,  or 
all  the  judgment  taught  in  the  Scriptures,  takes  place  in 
this  world,  and  cannot  possibly  extend  into  the  future 
world." 

III.  "Universalism  maintains  that  every  sinner  will  be 
punished  in  this  world  in  exact  proportion  to  the  number 
and  magnitude  of  his  sins,  according  to  the  decisions  of  the 
justice  of  God :  and  that  the  righteous  shall  be  rewarded 
also  in  this  world,  for  all  their  suff'erings  and  piety." 

IV.  "  Universalism  maintains  that  there  will  be  a  general 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  at  which  time  every  human  being 
will  be  raised  in  immortality,  purity,  and  glory ;  and  every 
knee  shall  bow,  every  tongue  confess,  all  tears  be  wiped 
away,  and  all  mankind  be  endlessly  happy  in  heaven." 

We  present,  secondly,  the  negative  positions  of  Univer- 
salism. 

I.  "  Universalism  rejects  the  doctrine  of  a  future  general 


38  UNIVERSALISM    DEFINED.  [cHAP.    I. 

judgment,  in  which  all  angelic  and  human  beings,  includ- 
ing the  morally  good  and  bad,  will  be  judged  according  to 
their  moral  character  and  works ;  and  the  morally  good  and 
holy  be  rewarded  with  everlasting  happiness  in  heaven,  and 
the  morally  bad  and  unholy  be  endlessly  punished  in  hell." 

II.  "  Universalism  denies  that  the  most  deep-settled  and 
confirmed  depravity  of  the  human  heart — the  most  aban- 
doned wickedness  of  life,  together  with  the  most  stubborn 
unbelief  in  death,  can  by  any  possibility  prevent,  or  in  any 
wise  endanger,  the  ultimate  holiness  and  happiness  of  man 
in  heaven." 

III.  "  The  system  denies  that  reformation,  faith,  and 
love,  or  holiness  of  heart  and  life  in  this  world,  are  at  all 
essential  as  a  condition,  or  means,  to  secure  endless  happi- 
ness in  the  future  world." 

IV.  "  It  denies  that  God  ever  has  pardoned,  or  ever  will 
pardon,  one  sin  committed  by  man  in  this  world ;  that  is, 
in  the  sense  of  remitting  the  punishment,  or  any  part 
thereof." 

V.  "  Universalism  denies  the  unoriginated  and  infinite 
divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 

VI.  "  The  system  having  rejected  the  absolute  divinity 
of  Jesus  Christ,  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  a  necessary 
consequence,  denies  the  vicarious  sufferings  and  atonement 
of  the  Savior." 

VII.  "  Universalism  denies  and  rejects  all  conditionality, 
as  it  regards  man's  future  and  final  salvation ;  that  is,  that 
there  is  any  condition,  act,  or  work  which  man  can  per- 
form, or  the  utter  neglect  of  which  by  him,  can  at  all  en- 
danger his  ultimate  salvation  in  heaven." 

VIII.  "As  a  part  of  the  above  feature  of  the  system,  and 
as  a  necessary  consequence,  Universalism  denies  the  free 
moral  agency  and  accountability  of  man  to  his  Maker;  so 
far,  at  least,  as  that  free  agency  can  by  any  means  affect  his 
final  holiness  and  happiness  in  the  future  world." 


J 


CHAP.  I.]  UNIVERSALIS^    DEFINED.  39 

IX.  "  Universalism  denies  the  doctrines  of  the  fall  of 
man,  and  the  consequent  hereditary,  universal  depravity  of 
the  human  heart,  and  considers  the  account  of  man's  apos- 
tasy, as  recorded  in  the  Bible,  to  be  merely  allegorical  or 
figurative." 

In  the  foregoing  view  of  Universalism,  it  cannot  escape 
the  observation  of  the  attentive,  that  the  scheme  is  as  re- 
markable for  what  it  disbelieves  and  rejects,  as  it  is  for 
what  it  retains,  as  matters  of  faith.  And  should  any  sup- 
pose this  a  novel  view  of  the  system,  we  have  only  to  say, 
if  it  were  not,  it  would  by  no  means  reach  the  case,  and 
fully  develop  the  true  character  of  the  system ;  for  it  is  a 
novel  scheme  throughout,  not  only  of  modern  date,  as 
respects  its  origin,  but  differing  in  its  fundamental  doctrines 
from  every  other  system  of  religion  under  the  sun. 

That  Universalists  will  complain  of  the  development  of 
some  of  the  features  of  their  system,  is  what  may  be  ex- 
pected ;  but  whatever  may  be  their  complaints,  that  they 
can  escape  the  above  positions,  either  negative  or  affirma- 
tive, without  utterly  destroying  the  system,  is  what  we 
cannot  believe. 

Before  this  part  of  the  subject  is  dismissed,  we  remark, 
that  truth  and  error  have  their  characteristic  distinctions. 
Truth  never  shrinks  from  the  clearest  scrutiny — never  with- 
holds explanation,  or  seeks  concealment.  On  the  contrary, 
error,  however  bold  and  boisterous,  when  it  thinks  itself 
out  of  danger,  when  called  to  an  account,  evades  explana- 
tion, retreats  into  obscurity,  and  shuns  close  investigation. 

Universalism  bears  all  those  marks  of  error,  and  carries 
them  out  in  practice.  For  notwithstanding  its  almost  con- 
stant noisy  daring,  and  challenging  to  discussion  and  con- 
troversy, who  ever  saw  it,  when  met  by  the  force  of  truth, 
clearly  and  fully  developed  by  its  friends  in  all  its  parts,  as 
a  system,  and  presented  to  the  public  ?  And  who  has  not 
seen,  that  on  such  occasions  its  very  atmosphere  was  eva- 


40  GENERAL    BLESSINGS  [cilAP.    II. 

sion,  and  obscurity  its  fast  retreat?  A  conviction  of  these 
facts  has  induced  us  to  take  the  pains  we  have,  to  bring  the 
system  to  light  in  all  its  most  important  features,  in  order 
that  all  concerned  may  the  better  understand  it,  and  to  aid 
us  in  our  farther  investigation  of  the  subject. 


CHAPTER  II. 

PROMISE    OF    GENERAL    BLESSINGS. 

Promise  of  General  Blessings — Manner  of  refuting  Error — Mr. 
Thomas'  Letter  to  Dr.  Ely — System  and  Proofs  stated — Universalists 
generally  Travel  over  the  same  ground — Mr.  T.  Indorses  most  of  the 
Positions  stated  above — Arguments  Logically  and  Theologically  false — 
Its  supposed  Strength  lies  in  Assumptions — All  Mankind  blessed  in 
Christ  without  being  unconditionally  saved  in  Heaven — Provision 
made  for  the  Universal  Spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  Establishment  of 
the  Christian  Church — Facts  Established — Dilemma — The  System 
must  sink  under  those  Facts,  or  avow  Infidelity. 

In  refuting  error,  it  is  not  always  necessary  to  follow 
every  feature  of  it  into  all  its  retreats  and  foldings,  but  only 
to  fix  on  the  essential  and  leading  principles  of  the  scheme, 
on  which  the  minor  points  depend ;  and  by  proving  the  er- 
roneousness  of  the  former,  the  latter  must  fall  with  them. 
This  is  strictly  true  of  Universalism,  though  it  is  the  last 
to  make  the  acknowledgment. 

Notwithstanding  Universalists  do  not  agree,  either  in  the 
method  of  stating  or  sustaining  their  doctrines,  they  all 
profess  to  rely  with  great  confidence  for  its  support,  on  the 
promises,  prophecies,  and  invitations  of  the  Scriptures, 
expressing  or  implying  general  blessings.  And  that  the 
system  may  be  placed  on  its  strongest  possible  ground  of 
defense,  that  all  may  see  the  claims  it  has  on  the  word  of 
God  for  support,  we  call  to  our  aid  one  of  the  most  able 
and  popular  Universalist  preachers  in  their  connection,  Mr. 
Abel  C.  Thomas. 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL   BLESSINGS.  41 

The  circumstances  under  which  this  gentleman  wrote, 
warrant  the  belief  that  he  has  done  ample  justice  to  the 
subject;  and  that  he  felt  himself  competent  for  the  work, 
will  appear  from  his  own  language :  "I  am  perfectly  satis- 
fied," says  Mr.  T.,  "  that  the  arguments  to  be  thus  addu- 
ced, will  be  of  an  incontrovertible  character." 

The  above,  and  the  following  letter  addressed  to  Rev. 
Dr.  E.  S.  Ely,  which  we  quote  at  length,  are  found  in  Ely 
and  Thomas'  Theological  Discussion,  pp.  252 — 258. 

"  Dear  Sir, — Inasmuch  as  any  doctrine  which  cannot  be 
fairly  established  by  a  few  pertinent  citations  from  the  sa- 
cred oracles,  is,  in  my  judgment,  unworthy  to  be  consid- 
ered a  part  of  the  Christian  credenda,  the  Scriptural  pas- 
sages which  I  shall  adduce  in  proof  of  the  final  holiness 
and  happiness  of  all  mankind,  will  not  be  numerous,  though 
I  am  entirely  satisfied  they  will  be  found  to  stand,  as  does 
the  faith  of  the  Universalists,  '  not  in  the  wisdom  of  men, 
but  in  the  power  of  God.'  In  Gen.  xxii,  18,  we  find  it 
recorded,  as  the  language  of  the  Lord  to  Abraham,  '  In 
thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  he  blessed,'"'  In 
the  same  promise  confirmed  to  Jacob,  it  is  written.  Gen. 
xxviii,  14 :  'In  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of 
the  earth  be  blessed.'  And  when  cited  by  Peter,  in  Acts 
iii,  25,  it  is  on  this  wise,  '  In  thy  seed  shall  all  the  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth  he  hlessed.'  Paul,  in  Gal.  iii,  terms 
this  promise  the  Gospel:  'And  the  Scriptures,  foreseeing 
that  God  would  justify  the  heathen  through  faith,  preached 
before  the  Gospel  to  Abraham,  saying,  In  thee  shall  all  na- 
tions be  blessed.'  And  he  adds,  'Now  to  Abraham  and 
his  seed  were  the  promise  made.  He  saith  not,  and  to 
seeds,  as  of  many ;  but  as  of  one,  and  to  thy  seed,  which 
is  Christ.''  In  the  light  of  these  concurrent  testimonies 
we  discover,  that  the  eventual  blessedness  in  Christ  of  all 
nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  is  guarantied 
by  the  promise  of  the  Almighty,  who  '  is  not  a  man  that 


42  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    IL 

he  should  lie,  neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should  re- 
pent. Hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  or,  hath  he 
spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good?'  Numbers  xxiii, 
19.  Moreover,  'When  God  made  promise  to  Abraham, 
because  he  could  swear  by  no  greater,  he  sware  by  him- 
self. *  *  *  For  men  verily  swear  by  the  greater ;  and 
an  oath  for  confirmation  is  to  them  an  end  of  all  strife. 
Wherein  God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  show  unto  the 
heirs  of  promise  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed 
it  by  an  oath;  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which  it 
was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a  strong 
consolation,  who  have  fled  for  refuge  to  lay  hold  upon  the 
hope  set  before  us,'  Heb.  vi,  13 — 18. 

"  That  the  language  of  the  promise  conveys  the  idea  of 
universality,  you  will  not  be  inclined  to  dispute,  inasmuch 
as  no  individual  can  be  found,  who  belongs  not  to  some 
nation,  family  or  kindred.  In  the  angelic  annunciation  of 
the  advent  of  the  Messiah,  the  truth  of  such  tidings  as  era- 
brace  the  final  blessedness  of  all  our  race  is  implied: 
'Fear  not;  for  behold  I  bring  you  good  tidings  of  great 
joy,  which  shall  be  to  all  people,'  Luke  ii,  10.  Indeed, 
good  news,  or  glad  tidings,  is  the  literal  import  of  the  term 
Gospel;  and,  as  before  shown,  Paul  thus  denominates  the 
preaching  of  the  Lord  to  'faithful  Abraham.' 

"  In  what  way  will  you  attempt  to  evade  the  force  of  this 
testimony,  in  proof  of  the  final  holiness  and  happiness  of 
all  mankind  ?  Should  you  alledge  that  the  blessedness  indi- 
cated in  the  promise  was  to  be  enjoyed  through  faith,  and 
that  as  faith  is  not  exercised  by  all  nations,  families,  and 
kindreds  of  the  earth,  so  the  prospect  of  universal  blessed- 
ness in  Christ  is  an  illusion — this  is  my  reply:  1st.  The 
promise  is  the  thing  to  be  believed,  and  as  such,  is  either 
true  or  false.  If  it  be  false,  no  one  can  justly  be  required 
to  believe  it;  and  if  true,  its  verity  cannot  be  affected 
either  by  the  faith  or  disbelief  of  man. 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  43 

"  Your  argument  virtually  involves  the  absurdity,  that  faith 
creates  the  object  of  faith;  in  other  words,  that  the  promise 
which  we  are  required  to  believe  is  not  true  until  we  believe 
it !  The  promise  in  question  is  either  absolute  or  condi- 
tionaL  If  absolute,  the  doctrine  of  universal  salvation  is 
clearly  established  thereby ;  if  it  be  conditional,  consis- 
tency requires  an  acknowledgment  of  the  aforesaid  absurd- 
ity. If  you  deny  that  the  promise  is  the  thing  to  be  be- 
lieved, I  remark,  (1.)  That  with  equal  propriety  you  might 
deny  that  the  Gospel  is  the  thing  to  be  believed  ;  for  when 
God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  he  preached  the  Gospel, 
saying,  '  In  thee  shall  all  nations  be  blessed,'  Gal.  iii,  8. 
(2.)  The  Gospel  was  thus  preached,  that  the  heathen  might 
he  justified  through  faith.  Faith  in  what?  Certainly  in 
the  doctrine  preached.  And  will  you  contend  that  any  man 
can  be  justified  by  faith  in  that  which  is  not  true  before  it 
is  believed  ? 

'*  2d.  It  is  written,  '  They  that  be  of  faith  are  blessed 
with  faithful  Abraham,'  Gal.  iii,  9.  How  was  Abraham 
blessed  ?  Plainly  in  believing  that  in  his  seed,  all  the  na- 
tions, families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed. 
His  blessedness  was  consequent  of  faith  in  universal  bles- 
sedness ;  and  the  pre-supposition  is,  that  the  fulfillment  of 
the  promise  was  not,  in  any  sense,  dependent  on  the  exer- 
cise of  faith  by  him.  And  as  they  who  believe  in  the  same 
Gospel  are  blessed  in  like  manner,  it  follows  that  the 
alledged  conditionality  of  the  promise  is  based  in  error. 
Jesus  said,  '  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day:  and  he  saw 
it,  and  was  glad,'  John  viii,  56.  He  saAv  it  by  faith ;  and 
the  righteousness  of  his  faith  was  predicated  of  the  abso" 
lute  character  of  the  promise  which  announced  the  coming 
of  the  Savior.  In  1  John  v,  9-11,  we  read  as  follows: 
*  If  we  receive  the  witness  of  men,  the  witness  of  God  is 
greater :  for  this  is  the  witness  of  God,  which  he  hath  tes- 
tified of  his  Son.     He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God, 


44  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [CHAP.    II. 

hath  the  witness  in  himself:  he  that  believeth  not  God, 
hath  made  him  a  har ;  because  he  believeth  not  the  record 
that  God  gave  of  his  Son.  And  this  is  the  record,  that 
God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life;  and  this  life  is  in  his 
Son.'  It  is  the  province  of  a  witness  to  make  that  known 
which  is  already  true ;  and  by  disbelieving  his  testimony, 
we  impeach  his  veracity.  Now,  the  record  of  God  is,  sim- 
ply, that  he  has  given  us  eternal  life  in  his  Son ;  and  the 
fact  that  the  unbeliever,  by  not  accrediting  the  record, 
makes  God  a  liar,  (that  is,  impeaches  the  divine  veracity,) 
proves  that  God  has  given  eternal  life  to  the  unbeliever. 
The  gift  is  absolute:  'For  what  if  some  did  not  believe? 
Shall  their  unbelief  make  the  faith  (rather,  faithfulness)  of 
God  without  effect  ?  God  forbid :  yea,  let  God  be  true, 
but  every  man  a  liar,'  Rom.  iii,  3,  4.  It  is  written,  '  For 
God  hath  concluded  all  in  unbelief,  that  he  might  have 
mercy  upon  all,'  Rom.  xi,  32.  And  in  view  of  this  glo- 
rious object,  most  heartily  can  the  true  disciple  exclaim, 
'  O  the  depth  of  the  riches,  both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowl- 
edge of  God  !  *  *  For  of  him,  and  through  him,  and 
to  him,  are  all  things :  to  whom  be  glory  for  ever.  Amen.' 
"  I  feel  no  disposition  to  deny  that  conditions  are  appen- 
ded to  many  divine  testimonies ;  such,  for  example,  as  the 
following:  'If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient,  ye  shall  eat  the 
good  of  the  land ;  but  if  ye  refuse  and  rebel,  ye  shall  be 
devoured  with  the  sword :  for  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  hath 
spoken  it,'  Isaiah  i,  19,  20.  And  I  also  hold,  that  while 
the  promise  of  universal  blessedness  in  Christ  is  absolute^ 
our  present  happiness  is,  in  a  great  measure,  dependent  on 
our  hearty  acknowledgment  of  the  truth.  Nevertheless, 
should  every  soul  of  our  race  live  and  die  in  total  ignorance 
of  the  promise  in  question,  the  ultimate  purpose  of  the 
Almighty  would  not  be  defeated  thereby.  And  I  am  satis- 
fied that  this  statement  is  fully  sustained  by  the  argument 
already  presented. 


CHAP.    11.3  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  45 

"  In  2  Cor.  i,  18-20,  Paul  writes  as  follows:  '  But  as 
God  is  true,  our  word  toward  you  was  not  yea  and  nay. 
For  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  preached 
among  you  by  us,  even  by  me  and  Sylvanus  and  Timo- 
theus,  was  not  yea,  and  nay,  but  in  him  was  yea.  For  all 
the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  yea,  and  in  him  Amen, 
unto  the  glory  of  God  by  us.'  Now,  sir,  it  appears  to  me, 
that  your  doctrine  of  conditions  to  be  performed  by  the 
creature,  contradicts  the  spirit  of  this  sacred  Scripture. 
You  affirm,  in  effect,  that  if  the  promises  be  believed,they 
will  be  yea;  but  if  disbelieved,  they  will  be  nay.  So, 
instead  of  averring  with  the  apostle,  that  all  the  promises 
of  God  in  Christ  are  yea  and  amen,  you  virtually  contend 
that  they  are  either  yea  or  nay,  according  to  the  faith  or 
disbelief  of  man ! 

'*  Your  doctrine  of  conditions  goes  farther  than  this :  it 
involves  the  atheistical  ground,  that  the  divine  promises  are 
neither  yea  )ior  nay,  until  they  are  either  acknowledged  or 
denied  !  Jesus  said,  '  And  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the 
earth,  will  draw  all  men  unto  me,'  John  xii,  32.  In  this 
language  our  Lord  does  not  intimate  that  he  would  draw 
those  only  to  himself  who  in  after  times  should  believe  in 
his  name  ;  but  he  states,  positively,  that  he  would  draw  all 
men  unto  him,  if  he  should  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth.  So 
soon  as  the  condition  was  performed,  the  declaration  was 
numbered  with  the  promises  of  the  Lord,  which  are  yea 
and  amen. 

"  The  language  of  the  Almighty  to  Abraham,  is  absolute 
and  unequivocal.  No  conditions  are  expressed — no  condi- 
tions are  implied.  '  In  thee  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the 
nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  be  blessed.' 
The  thing  promised  is  clearly  expressed;  and  unquestiona- 
bly the  Lord  has  at  his  disposal  all  the  means  which  are 
essential  to  the  fulfillment  of  his  purpose.  I  am  '  fully  per- 
suaded, that  what  he  has  promised  he  is   able  also  to  per- 


46  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  fCHAP.    II. 

form  :'  and  consequently,  I  '  stagger  not  at  the  promise  of 
God  through  unbelief,'  but  am  '  strong  in  faith,  giving  glory 
to  God.'  Sin  indeed  abounds;  but  grace  abounds  much 
more  than  sin,  Rom.  v,  20.  Unbelief  prevails;  neverthe- 
less, '  he  is  faithful  who  promised,'  Heb.  x,  23.  Men  are 
in  bondage  ;  '  but  the  creation  itself  also  shall  be  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty  of 
the  children  of  God,'  Rom.  viii,  21. 

"In  the  Scriptures  which  treat  of  the  immortal  condition 
of  man,  the  thing  to  be  accomplished  is  as  clearly  stated  as 
heart  can  desire  it  to  be ;  and  that  the  Supreme  Being, 
either  mediately  or  immediately,  will  accomplish  the  work 
in  his  own  time  and  way,  is  a  prominent  doctrine  of  Divine 
revelation.  The  serpent's  head  will  be  bruised ;  yea,  the 
devil  and  all  his  works  will  be  destroyed ;  but  not  by  man. 
The  enterprise  will  be  accomplished  by  the  seed  of  the 
woman,  the  son  of  God,  Gen.  iii,  15;  Heb.  ii,^14;  1 
John  iii,  8.  '  The  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible ;'  but 
7iot  by  the  power  of  man.  The  energies  of  the  quicken- 
ing Spirit  of  the  Most  High,  will  clothe  us  upon  with  im- 
mortality, that  mortality  may  be  swallowed  up  of  life. 
Death  will  be  swallowed  up  in  victory,  and  tears  will  be 
wiped  from  off  all  faces ;  but  not  by  man.  '  The  Lord 
OF  Hosts  *  *  *  will  swallow  up  death  in  victory ; 
and  the  Lord  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces,' 
Isaiah  xxv,  8. 

'*  In  these  passages,  and  in  others  of  correspondent  ten- 
or, every  thing  essential  to  the  final  blessedness  of  all  our 
race,  is  clearly  pointed  out ;  and  the  eye  of  faith  is  directed 
to  the  Almighty,  as  the  being  by  whose  power  the  glori- 
ous consummation  will  be  effected.  So,  when  the  Lord 
preached  the  Gospel  to  Abraham,  he  promised  no  more 
than  he  was  abundandy  able  and  definitely  determined  to 
perform. 

"  He  clearly  perceived  what  difficulties,  if  any,  would 


CHAP.     II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  47 

arise,  and  wisely  adapted  his  means  to  the  production  of 
the  end  he  designed.  The  work  is  being  prosecuted  in 
the  manner  which  seemeth  good  in  his  sight;  and  the  issue 
will  prove  the  righteousness  of  the  faith  of  the  '  friend 
of  God.' 

"Yours,  respectfully,  Abel  C.  Thomas." 

For  the  reasons  already  named,  we  have  given  this  letter 
entire,  and  will  add,  our  conviction  is,  that  no  man  can 
present  the  claims  of  Universalism  for  proof  or  support 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  in  a  clearer  or  stronger  light 
than  Mr.  Thomas  has  done.  And  it  will  be  hard  to  find 
one  who  has  done  the  subject  more  justice  than  he  has; 
but  it  will  be  no  difficult  matter  to  find  many  who  have 
fallen  far  below  his  skill  in  the  case. 

Furthermore,  in  all  our  acquaintance  with  the  defenders 
of  the  system,  we  have  not  found  one  who  has  not  trav- 
eled over  the  same  ground  in  argument,  and  adduced,  in 
proof  of  the  system,  the  same  Scriptures  with  Mr.  Thomas. 
So  much  so,  indeed,  that  it  might  be  supposed,  either  they 
had  copied  him,  or  he  had  copied  them.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  it  strengthens  the  belief  that  Universalists  consider 
that  those  Scriptures,  and  others  of  a  similar  character,  are 
the  strongest  proofs  in  favor  of  the  system  that  the  Holy 
Scriptures  afford.  That  this  is  Mr.  T.'s  opinion,  we  think 
none  will  doubt. 

It  will,  also,  be  seen,  that  Mr.  T.  has  either  directly, 
or  indirectly,  indorsed  many  of  the  principles  heretofore 
presented  as  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  system.  But  he 
has  particularly  exemplified  the  truth  of  former  remarks, 
in  regard  to  the  obscurity  thrown  around  it  by  its  ablest 
friends  and  advocates.  He  has,  indeed,  told  us  that  the 
nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  shall  be  blessed 
in  Christ,  that  is,  according  to  the  system,  shall  all  be 
saved  in  heaven ;  but  he  has  given  us  no  intimation  wheth- 
er all  these  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  are 


48  GEXER.M.    BLESSINGS.  (]cHAP.    11. 

now  in  Christ,  in  that  sense  wliich  implies  their  final,  un- 
conditional salvation:  and  if  they  are,  how  lie  accounts  for 
all  the  wickedness  that  is  in  the  world;  or  if  they  are  not 
noiv  in  Christ,  whether  they  have  any  obedience  to  render, 
or  duties  to  perform,  in  order  to  secure  this  relation  to 
Christ.  Not  one  word  is  said  about  reformation,  repen- 
tance, faith,  or  holiness  in  this  world,  in  the  whole  scheme, 
as  presented  by  him. 

But  all  this  is  only  indicative  of  the  latent  infidelity  of  the 
system;  and  if  it  can  be  shown,  that  those  Scriptures 
afford  it  no  support,  whatever  may  be  its  true  character,  it 
lias  no  claim  to  the  name  of  Bible  Christianity. 

The  whole  strength  of  the  argument  may  be  thrown 
into  the  following  positions:  1.  The  promise  of  God  to 
Abraham  confirmed  by  an  oath,  "  in  which  two  immuta- 
ble things,  it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie;"  that  in  Abra- 
ham's seed  all  the  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the 
earth  should  be  blessed.  2.  That  by  the  seed  of  Abra- 
ham, as  set  forth  in  the  Divine  promise,  Christ  is  specifi- 
cally meant.  3.  That  the  blessing  implied  in  the  promise, 
means  the  absolute  and  vnconditional  holiness,  happiness, 
and  salvation  in  heaven,  of  all  the  nations,  families,  and 
kindreds  of  the  earth.  In  stating  this  Scriptural  argument, 
which  is  of  such  vital  importance  to  the  theory,  we  have 
given  substantially  Mr.  T.'s  positions,  which  are  indeed 
the  strongest  the  system  can  occupy.  And  if  the  argu- 
ments are  sound,  it  must  be  acknowledged  that  Universal- 
ism  has  some  appearance  of  support  from  the  Scriptures; 
but  that  they  are  both  logically  and  theologically  unsound, 
and  utterly  fail  to  sustain  the  system,  we  proceed  to  show. 

Logically  the  case  stands  thus:  All  that  God  has  abso- 
lutely promised  to  man  he  will  absolutely  perform.  But 
God  has  absolutely  promised  that  all  the  nations,  families, 
and  kindreds  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed  in  Abraham's 
seed,  that  is,  in  Christ;  therefore,  all  the  nations,  families, 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  49 

and  kindreds  of  the  earth  sliall  be  absolutely  and  uncondi- 
tionally saved  in  heaven.  The  argument  is  entirely  false; 
for  it  assumes  that  the  blessing  promised  in  the  second 
proposition,  means  the  absolute  and  unconditional  salvation 
in  heaven  of  all  our  race,  and  thereby  brings  more  into  the 
conclusion  than  is  in  the  premises.  And  there  is  no  way 
to  relieve  the  case,  but  by  demonstrating  (not  assuming) 
that  God  has  absolutely  promised  that  all  the  nations,  fam- 
ilies, and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  shall  be  not  only  blessed, 
but  unconditionally  saved  in  heaven.  And  as  this  is  im- 
possible, an  absolute  impossibility  must  be  performed  to 
save  the  argument. 

Theologically,  the  system  will  find  no  less  difficulties  to 
contend  with ;  for  the  entire  support  claimed  for  it  in  those 
Scriptures  quoted,  and  all  of  a  similar  character,  lies  in  the 
naked  assumption,  that  the  blessings  promised  is  the  final, 
unconditional  salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven.  The 
proof  of  this,  in  all  justice,  devolves  on  Universalism ;  but 
as  it  has  ever  failed  in  this,  and  yet  contends,  we  proceed 
to  show  the  contrary.  And  as  the  Bible  is  the  best  inter- 
preter of  itself,  we  shall  examine  this  important  subject  by 
that  rule,  and  let  the  sacred  record  bear  its  own  testimony. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  Universalism  has  to  as- 
sume, that  the  blessings  promised  in  the  quotations  above, 
are  equivalent,  in  the  fullest  sense,  to  a  promise  on  the  part 
of  God,  unconditionally,  to  save  all  mankind  in  heaven. 
If  this  be  doubted,  let  it  be  admitted  for  a  moment  that  the 
blessing  there  promised  implies  any  thing  less,  and  the  sys- 
tem loses  at  once  the  entire  support  of  all  that  class  of 
Scriptures ;  and  all  the  promises,  and  the  oath  of  God 
may  be  fulfilled,  and  yet  Universalism  be  as  false  as  he 
who  was  a  liar  from  the  beginning.  With  these  facts  fully 
before  us,  it  will  be  doing  no  injustice  to  the  system,  nor 
violence  to   the   Scriptures,  to   insert  in   the  texts  quoted 

what   Universalists    claim    to    be   their   proper    meaning. 

5 


50  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [CHAP.    II. 

Now,  let  us  try  this  rul.^  on  Mr.  Thomas'  proof  texts: 
Gen.  xxii,  18,  "And  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  be"  (absolutely  and  unconditionally  saved  in 
heaven.)  Gen.  xxviii,  14,  "  And  in  thee  and  thy  seed 
shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be"  (absolutely  and  un- 
conditionally saved  in  heaven.)  Acts  iii,  25,  "  And  in  thy 
seed  shall  all  the  kindreds  of  the  earth  be"  (absolutely  and 
unconditionally  saved  in  heaven.) 

It  cannot  escape  the  observation  of  any,  that  this  assump- 
tion is  a  perfect  perversion  of  the  Scriptures  before  us,  and 
makes  them  speak  a  language,  and  teach  a  doctrine,  that 
their  holy  Author  never  intended,  and  that  cannot  be  found 
in  all  the  sacred  volume.  In  support  of  this,  we  may  fur- 
ther remark,  God  either  did,  or  did  not,  design,  in  the  texts 
under  consideration,  and  others  of  a  similar  character,  to 
teach  Universalism.  If  he  did,  he  must  have  seen,  in  his 
infinite  wisdom,  that  he  would  be  wholly  misunderstood 
by  the  most  wise,  useful,  and  holy  men  of  the  earth,  with 
scarcely  one  exception,  in  a  century  in  the  history  of  the 
Church.  And  thus  misunderstood,  its  benefits  on  human 
society  must  be  entirely  lost;  for,  as  the  doctrine,  if  per- 
fectly understood,  could  not  possibly  afl'ect  the  condition  of 
man  in  the  future  world,  the  whole  Divine  procedure  was 
worse  than  useless.  This  would  be  a  bold  impeachment 
of  all  the  perfections  of  the  Divine  character ;  and  the  re- 
volting consequences  cannot  be  avoided,  only  by  admitting 
that  God  did  not  intend  to  teach  the  doctrine,  and  such  ad- 
mission must  be  fatal  to  the  system. 

But  we  will  now  proceed  to  show,  in  the  light  of  the 
Divine  record,  that  the  blessing  of  God  upon  nations,  fam- 
ilies, and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  does  not,  and  cannot,  ne- 
cessarily, imply  their  unconditional  salvation  in  heaven. 
We  will  only  adduce  a  few  passages,  from  among  many, 
that  might  be  brought  forward  in  support  of  this  position. 
"  And  God  said  unto  Balaam,  Thou  shalt  not  go  with  them  : 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  51 

thou  shalt  not  curse  the  people  ;  for  they  are  blessed," 
Num.  xxii,  12.  This  declaration  ol"  the  Lord,  and  the 
blessing  named,  had  special  reference  to  the  Jews,  on  their 
journey  from  Egypt  to  Canaan,  in  their  aggregate  or  na- 
tional character,  and  the  blessing  was  one  they  then  enjoyed. 
But,  according  to  Universalism,  for  a  nation  to  be  blessed 
of  God,  implies  their  salvation  in  heaven;  therefore,  the 
text  must  mean,  "Thou  shalt  not  curse  the  people;  for 
they  are  blessed :"  that  is,  absolutely  and  unconditionally 
saved  in  heaven.  Again:  "Thou  shalt  be  blessed  above 
all  people  ;  there  shall  not  be  male  or  female  barren  among 
you,  or  among  your  cattle,"  Deut.  vii,  14.  Here,  again,  is 
the  promise  of  God  to  bless  a  nation,  and  according  to  Uni- 
versalism, it  must  imply  their  final  salvation  in  heaven; 
and  of  course,  it  would  be  just  so  to  read  the  text.  But 
that  the  blessing  was  to  be  enjoyed  in  this  world,  and  not 
in  heaven,  cannot  be  questioned ;  for  the  text  specifies,  as 
a  part  of  the  blessing,  "  There  shall  not  be  male  or  female 
barren  among  you,  or  among  your  cattle.''^ 

"  Blessed  is  the  nation  whose  God  is  the  Lord,"  Psalm 
xxxiii,  12.  The  Psalmist  doubtless  means,  that  nation, 
who,  to  the  exclusion  of  idolatry,  or  the  recognition  of  the 
worship  of  idols,  acknowledges,  by  legislation  and  other- 
wise, the  true  God  and  his  holy  worship.  Li  this  sense, 
to  some  extent,  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States  come 
under  the  character  of  the  nation  contemplated.  And  as, 
according  to  the  system,  God's  blessing  upon  a  nation 
means  their  salvation  in  heaven,  the  conclusion  is  unavoida- 
ble, that  Great  Britain,  the  United  States,  and  all  other 
Christian  states  and  nations,  are  now  infallibly  saved  in  the 
heavenly  world.  But  incontrovertible  facts  demonstrate 
the  contrary. 

Now  let  us  look  at  the  blessing  of  God  upon  families. 
"  And  it  came  to  pass,  from  the  time  that  he  made  him 
overseer  in  his  house,  and  over  all  that  he  had,  that  the 


52  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [CHAP.    II. 

Lord  blessed  the  Egyptian's  house  for  Joseph's  sake  ;  and 
the  blessing  of  the  Lord  was  upon  all  that  he  had,  in  the 
house,  and  in  the  field,"  Gen.  xxxix,  5.  "  And  the  ark  of 
the  Lord  continued  in  the  house  of  Obed-edom  the  Gittite, 
three  months :  and  the  Lord  blessed  Obed-edom,  and  all 
his  household,"  2  Sam.  vi,  IL  If,  according  to  the  inter- 
pretation of  Universalism,  the  blessing  of  God  upon  na- 
tions, and  families,  means  their  final  salvation ;  it  follows, 
of  course,  that  from  the  time  the  Egyptian  made  Joseph 
overseer  in  his  house,  and  that  the  ark  of  the  Lord  rested 
in  the  house  of  Obed-edom,  that  not  only  they,  and  their 
families,  but  all  that  were  in  their  houses  and  fields,  were 
actually  at  the  time,  (for  the  blessing  was  a  present  one,) 
carried  safely  to  heaven.  But  here  also,  matters  of  fact 
destroy  the  delusive  speculation. 

And  how  is  it  in  the  case  of  individuals  ?  "  And  God 
blessed  Noah  and  his  sons,  and  said  unto  them.  Be  fruitful, 
and  multiply,  and  replenish  the  earth,"  Gen.  ix,  I.  "And 
as  for  Ishmael,  I  have  heard  thee :  behold,  I  have  blessed 
him,"  Gen.  xvii,  20.  "And  the  woman  bare  a  son,  and 
called  his  name  Samson :  and  the  child  grew,  and  the  Lord 
blessed  him,"  Judges  xiii,  24. 

Here  also,  the  same  conclusions  follow  in  the  case  of  in- 
dividuals, as  of  families  and  nations.  If  the  blessing  of 
God  implies  linal  salvation,  Noah  and  his  sons,  Ishmael  and 
Samson,  at  the  time  they  were  the  subjects  of  the  Divine 
blessing,  were  unconditionally  saved  in  heaven.  But  as 
the  contrary  is  sustained  by  all  the  force  of  facts,  it  is  im- 
possible to  save  Universalism  from  the  charge  of  ignorance 
in  misunderstanding,  or  willfulness  in  perverting,  the  prom- 
ises and  word  of  God. 

As  Universalis ts  generally  attach  so  much  importance  to 
the  fact,  that  the  promised  blessing  of  God  included  nations, 
families,  and  kindreds,  or  individuals,  and  maintain,  that 
the  blessing  implies  their  absolute  and  unconditional  salva- 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  ,  53 

tion  in  heaven,  we  have  been  thus  particular  in  giving  a 
case,  and  they  might  be  greatly  increased,  of  nations,  fam- 
ilies, and  kindreds,  or  individuals,  who  have  been,  or  now 
are,  the  subjects,  and  objects  of  the  blessings  of  God;  and 
that,  too,  without  the  possibility  of  supposing  those  bles- 
sings implied  their  final  salvation  in  the  future  world. 

That  God  blessed  the  Jews  as  a  nation,  the  families  of 
the  Egyptian  and  Obed-edom,  Noah  and  his  sons,  Ish- 
mael  and  Samson,  Universalism  cannot  deny.  And  that 
this  nation,  and  those  families  and  individuals,  while  in  the 
personal  enjoyment  of  these  blessings,  were  actually  and 
literally  saved  in  heaven,  Universalism  dare  not  affirm.  To 
deny  the  former,  would  contradict  the  declaration  of  God ; 
to  affirm  the  latter,  would  contradict  facts  and  utter  false- 
hood. And  to  allow  those  facts,  is  to  admit  that  God  can 
fulfill  his  promise  and  oath  to  Abraham,  that  in  *'  thy  seed, 
shall  all  the  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  be 
blessed,"  without  that  blessing,  by  any  means,  including 
their  absolute  salvation  beyond  the  grave.  For,  as  has 
been  shown,  if  God  can  bless  one  individual,  one  family, 
one  nation,  without  that  blessing  implying  their  final  salva- 
tion, on  the  same  principle  he  can  bless  *'  all  the  nations, 
families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,"  without  saving  them 
absolutely,  and  unconditionally  in  heaven. 

From  these  facts,  there  is  but  one  point  at  which  the  sys- 
tem can  attempt  an  escape ;  that  is,  by  asserting  that  the 
blessings  we  have  been  noticing,  were  not  promised,  or 
bestowed  in  Christ;  while  those  promised  in  the  texts 
claimed  in  support  of  the  system,  were  emphatically  prom- 
ised in  him.  This  is  mere  evasion;  and  we  hesitate  not 
to  join  issue,  and  say,  that  since  man's  apostasy  from  his 
Maker,  every  blessing  conferred  on  him,  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral, including  natural  life  itself,  is  in  Christ — through  and 
by  Christ;  for  he  is  "  the  Lamb  slain  (as  a  sacrifice,  in  the 
Divine  mind)  from  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  Rev.  xiii,  8, 
5^- 


54  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    II. 

that  man  should  be  a  perpetual  pensioner  on  Divine  mercy 
and  grace  in  all  things. 

And  we  will  now,  on  the  authority  of  Divine  testimony, 
show  that  God  has  blessed,  is  now  blessing,  and  will  con- 
tinue to  bless,  in  Christ,  all  the  nations,  families,  and  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth ;  and  that  this  universal  blessing  does 
not,  and  cannot  imply  their  necessary,  absolute,  and  uncon- 
ditional salvation  in  the  future  world.  If  we  succeed  in 
this,  we  shall  wrest  from  the  hands  of  Universalism  those 
cardinal  Scriptures  on  which  the  main  superstructure  pro- 
fesses to  rest,  and  without  which,  the  system  should  blush 
to  claim  a  mere  existence  under  the  authority  of  t?ie  word 
of  God. 

It  cannot  be  denied,  that  it  would  be  a  blessing  to  that 
man  who  had  forfeited  his  life  to  law,  and  was  exposed  to 
death,  to  be,  through  the  benevolence  of  a  friend,  delivered 
from  the  claims  of  that  law,  and  restored  to  citizenship,  on 
condition  of  subsequent  good  conduct.  But  man  had  for- 
feited his  life  to  the  law  of  God :  "  Wherefore,  as  by  one 
man  sin  entered  into  the  world,  and  death  by  sin ;  and  so 
death  passed  upon  all  men,  for  that  all  have  sinned.  *  * 
Therefore,  as  by  the  offense  of  one,  judgment  came  upon 
all  men  unto  condemnation,"  Kom.  v,  12-18.  Man  thus 
exposed  to  death,  and  when  there  was  no  other  "  eye  to 
pity,"  or  "  arm  to  save,"  "  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,"  John  iii,  16,  to  die  for 
man.  "  For  the  love  of  Christ  constraineth  us ;  because 
we  thus  judge,  that  if  one  died  for  all,  then  were  all  dead : 
and  that  he  died  for  all,  that  they  which  live  should  not 
henceforth  live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died 
for  them,  and  rose  again,"  2  Cor.  v,  14,  15.  *'  But  we  see 
Jesus,  who  was  made  a  little  lower  than  the  angels  for  the 
suffering  of  death,  crowned  with  glory  and  honor ;  that  he, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  should  taste  death  for  every  man," 
Heb.  ii,  9. 


CHAP.  II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  55 

On  the  above,  which  are  only  a  few  of  the  numerous 
class  of  Scriptures  that  might  be  adduced  on  the  same  point, 
we  remark,  1.  They  prove,  to  a  demonstration,  that  in  the 
judgment  of  God,  man  was  under  the  sentence  of  condem- 
nation and  death.  2.  That  through  the  infinite  grace  and 
love  of  God,  Jesus  Christ  "died  for  all,"  "tasted  death 
for  every  man."  3.  That  this  love  of  God  in  the  gift  of  his 
Son,  and  the  voluntary  death  of  Christ,  are  now  a  blessing 
of  God  in  Christ,  to  every  one  for  whom  he  tasted  death ; 
but  "he,  by  the  grace  of  God,  tasted  death  for  every  man," 
therefore,  "every  man,"  which  includes  "all  the  nations, 
families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,"  have  been,  or  are 
now,  and  will  be,  the  subjects  of  God's  blessing  in  Christ, 
by  and  through  Christ.  4.  Men  may  be,  and  actually  are, 
the  objects  and  subjects  of  this  blessing  of  God  in  Christ, 
without  being  saved  in  heaven.  For  example,  there  are 
jnore  than  seventeen  millions  of  human  beings  in  these 
United  States,  for  every  one  of  whom  Jesus  Christ  tasted 
death,  as  no  Universalist  can  deny,  and  they  are  now,  even 
this  moment,  while  you  read,  the  objects  of  that  blessing, 
and  yet  not  one  of  them  is  saved  in  heaven.  But,  as  this 
is  an  important  point,  and  when  fully  settled,  will  not  only 
sustain  our  present  position,  but  assist  in  establishing  other 
features  of  this  investigation,  we  will  further  show,  that 
God  has  not  only  blessed  the  world  in  Christ,  "  who  his, 
own  self  bare  our  sins  (the  punishment  of  them)  in  his  own 
body  on  the  tree,  *  *  «  by  whose  stripes  ye  were 
healed,"  1  Peter  ii,  24;  who  "hath  borne  our  griefs,  and 
carried  our  sorrows :  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smit- 
ten of  God,  and  afflicted,"  Isaiah  liii,  4;  who  "is  the  pro- 
pitiation for  our  sins :  and  not  for  ours  only,  but,  also,  for 
the  sins  of  the  whole  world,"  1  John  ii,  2;  which  work 
and  suffering  of  Christ  for  us,  the  whole  world  of  mankind, 
are  actually  accomplished,  and  the  world  is  the  beneficiary 
thereof;  but  Christ,  through  the  influence  of  Divine  grace. 


56  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    II. 

and  the  Holy  Spirit  is,  emphatically,  the  light  of  the 
world ;  as  the  natural  sun  is  the  light  of  the  material  world, 
so  Christ  is  styled  by  the  prophet,  "  the  Sun  of  Righteous- 
ness," Mai.  iv,  2,  to  enlighten  the  spiritual  and  moral 
world.  "  He  (John)  was  not  that  Light,  but  was  sent  to 
bear  witness  of  that  Light  (Christ.)  That  was  the  true 
Light,  which  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,"  John  i,  8,  9.  "  Then  spake  Jesus  again  unto 
them,  saying,  I  am  the  light  of  the  world,"  chap,  viii,  12. 

This  testimony,  which  might  be  greatly  increased,  is  too 
plain  to  need  comment,  in  proof  of  the  fact,  that  Jesus 
Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world,  in  the  sense  of  including 
all  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth.  And  as  a 
blessed  consequence  of  his  vicarious  suffering  and  death, 
there  is  a  sacred,  divine  influence  abroad  in  the  world,  re- 
straining the  corruptions  of  the  heart  of  man,  moving  his 
judgment  and  conscience  to  duty  and  love  to  God,  accord- 
ing to  the  dispensation  in  which  he  may  live ;  and  which 
influence,  if  humbly  received  and  faithfully  improved,  will 
lead  man  from  darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sin 
and  Satan  unto  the  service  of  the  living  God. 

Universalism  may  attempt  to  diminish  the  force  of  this 
doctrine,  by  asserting,  that  Christians  are,  also,  called  "  the 
light  of  the  world,"  Matt,  v,  14.  This  effort  at  evasion 
is  too  feeble  to  require  a  formal  answer;  for  while  it  is 
true  that  Christians,  by  their  example  of  obedient  and  holy 
livino",  are  required  to  let  their  light  shine,  it  is  no  less  true 
that  they  derive  all  their  light  and  grace  from  Christ,  and 
are  the  light  of  the  world  only  instrumentally,  and  in  a 
qualified  sense ;  while  he  is  the  infinite  origin  of  all  grace 
and  light,  and  from  the  mediatorial  throne,  as. the  meridian 
sun  of  the  moral  world,  diffuses  his  light  throughout  the 
habitable  world. 

If  it  be  asked  how  Jesus  Christ  is  the  light  of  the  world? 
the  answer  is,   He  is  the  light  of  the  world  through  the 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  6*? 

agency  and  operations  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  Of  this  the 
Scriptures  afford  ample  proof,  and  proclaim  him  to  man  as 
*'  the  Eternal  Spirit,"  Heb.  ix,  14.  And  that  this  "Spirit 
searcheth  (or  knoweth)  all  things,  yea,  the  deep  things  of 
God,"  1  Cor.  ii,  10.  This  Spirit  Christ  has  sent  into  the 
world,  to  "reprove  (or  convince)  the  world  of  sin,  of  right- 
eousness, and  of  judgment,"  John  xvi,  8;  and  "the  mani- 
festation of  the  Spirit  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit 
withal,"  1  Cor.  xii,  7;  "for  the  grace  of  God  that  bring- 
eth  salvation,  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us,  that 
denying  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live 
soberly,  righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  world," 
Titus  ii,  11,  12. 

The  above  Scriptures  clearly  prove,  1.  The  eternity  and 
omniscience  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  and,  consequently,  his 
competency  for  this  great  work.  2.  That  he  is  sent  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  reprove,  convince,  and  enlighten  the 
world.  3.  The  declarations,  "every  man,"  "all  men," 
and  "  the  world,"  include  all  nations,  families,  and  kin- 
dreds of  the  earth.  4.  That  these  Divine  blessings  of  God 
in  Christ,  through  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  designed  for,  and 
confined  to,  man  in  this  life,  according  to  the  language  of 
the  testimony  itself,  that  "  we  should  live  soberly,  right- 
eously, and  godly  in  this  present  world."  From  this  con- 
clusion Universalism  has  no  escape.  If  it  denies  the  first, 
it  must  contradict  the  Holy  Ghost;  if  it  denies  the  second, 
it  will  contradict  Jesus  Christ;  if  it  denies  the  third,  it  must 
contradict  itself;  if  it  denies  the  fourth,  it  will  contradict 
Paul;  and,  finally,  in  denying  either,  it  must  set  the  testi- 
mony of  the  word  of  God  at  open  defiance,  and  thereby 
proclaim  its  own  infidelity. 

There  is,  also,  another  interesting  feature  of  this  impor- 
tant subject;  namely,  the  abundant  provision  God  has 
made,  through  the  atonement  and  mediation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  for  the  instruction  of  all  the  nations,  families,  and 


58  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [CHAP.    II. 

kindreds  of  the  earth,  in  the  knowledge  of  God  and  his 
great  salvation  by  the  Gospel ;  together  with  the  organiza- 
tion and  establishment  of  the  true  Church,  with  her  sacra- 
ments, Sabbath,  and  all  the  restraining  and  hallowing  influ- 
ences of  the  Zion  of  God  among  men  in  this  world  This, 
we  think,  is  susceptible  of  abundant  proof  from  the  word 
of  God.  We  will  only  quote  a  few  passages  on  the  point; 
"  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  *  *  *  and,  lo,  I  am  with  you,  always,  even 
unto  the  end  of  the  world.  Amen,"  Matt,  xxviii,  19,  20. 
"  And  he  said  unto  them.  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and 
preach  the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth 
and  is  baptized  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not 
shall  be  damned,"  Mark  xvi,  15,  16.  And  it  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  this  commission  to  the  Gospel  ministry,  to 
bear  the  message  of  the  mercy  of  God  to  "  all  nations,"  to 
"  every  creature,"  was  not  the  commencement  of  the  bles- 
sings of  the  Gospel  of  the  grace  of  God  to  man ;  but  it  was 
the  consummation  of  that  great  system  of  human  redemp- 
tion, instruction,  and  salvation,  commenced  by  the  Almighty, 
when  he  announced  to  the  first  offender  in  the  garden,  "  The 
seed  of  the  woman  shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head,"  Gen. 
iii,  15.  And  in  the  development  of  the  Divine  Providence, 
the  lustre  of  this  scheme  of  mercy  increased,  cheering  on 
its  way  the  hearts  of  the  patriarchs,  inspiring  the  prophets, 
and  consoling  the  pious,  till  in  the  Divine  purpose  the  world 
was  matured  for  its  full  exhibition,  when  it  was  proclaimed 
by  the  Son  of  God,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature."  That  the  apostles  so  un- 
derstood the  subject,  will  appear  plainly,  from  the  manner 
in  which  they  dwell  on  the  theme,  in  the  discharge  of  the 
duties  of  their  high  commission.  For  instead  of  announ- 
cing the  Gospel  as  the  commencement  of  the  operations  of 
God's  grace,  light,  and  truth  to  man,  they  proclaimed  it  as 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  59 

his  gracious  system  of  mercy  towards  mankind,  which  he 
liad  purposed  in  Christ  Jesus  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world,  2  Tim.  i,  9 ;  1  Peter  i,  20.  And  although  the 
benefits  had  been  but  partially  enjoyed,  they  were  now 
authorized  to  proclaim  it,  in  all  its  richness,  fullness,  and 
freeness,  alike  to  Jew  and  Gentile. 

In  support  of  this  we  give  the  following  testimony : 
"But  they  have  not  all  obeyed  the  Gospel;  for  Esaias  saith, 
Lord,  who  hath  believed  our  report?  So,  then,  faith  com- 
eth  by  hearing,  and  hearing  by  the  word  of  God.  But  I 
say,  Have  they  not  heard?  yes,  verily,  their  sound  went 
into  all  the  earth,  and  their  words  unto  the  ends  of  the 
world,"  Romans  X,  16-18.  "If  ye  continue  in  the  faith 
grounded  and  settled,  and  be  not  moved  away  from  the 
hope  of  the  Gospel,  which  ye  have  heard,  and  which  was 
preached  to  every  creature  which  is  under  heaven ;  whereof 
I  Paul  am  made  a  minister,"  Col.  i,  23.  It  is  also  sta- 
ted, that  "the  Gospel  was  preached  unto  Abraham,"  Gal. 
iii,  8.  From  these  declarations,  and  numerous  others  might 
be  adduced,  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  the  apostles  believed 
and  taught,  that  "  every  creature,"  the  whole  human  fam- 
ily, according  to  the  purpose  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  as 
the  true  light  that  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world,  through  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  had  been 
the  subject,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  of  the  grace  of  that 
Gospel  which  they  then  offered  to  the  world  in  its  greatest 
profusion  of  blessings. 

On  no  other  principle,  we  believe,  can  the  following  de- 
claration of  Paul  be  intelligible :  "  For  there  is  no  respect 
of  persons  with  God.  For  as  many  as  have  sinned  with- 
out law,  shall  also  perish  without  law :  and  as  many  as 
have  sinned  in  the  law,  shall  be  judged  by  the  law ;  (for 
not  the  hearers  of  the  law  are  just  before  God,  but  the 
doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified.  For  when  the  Gentiles, 
which  have  not  the  law,  do  by  nature  the  things  contained 


60  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    II. 

in  the  law,  these  having  not  the  law,  are  a  law  unto  them- 
selves :  which  show  the  work  of  the  law  written  in  their 
hearts,  their  conscience  also  bearing  witness,  and  their 
thoughts  the  meanwhile  accusing,  or  else  excusing  one  an- 
other;) in  the  day  when  God  shall  judge  the  secrets  of 
men  by  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  my  Gospel,"  Rom.  ii, 
11-16.  No  reasonable  doubt  can  be  entertained  of  the  fact 
by  any  unprejudiced  mind,  that  by  those  who  had  the  law, 
the  Jews  are  intended,  and  those  who  had  not  the  law,  the 
Gentiles,  the  apostle  designed  to  embrace  the  whole  human 
family.  And  while  the  Jews  had  the  written  law  of  God, 
as  the  rule  of  their  faith  and  practice,  in  obeying  which  by 
faith,  they  had  the  promise  of  salvation,  and  by  which  they 
must  finally  be  judged;  the  Gentiles  "do  by  nature,"  or 
in  their  natural  state,  in  the  absence  of  those  external  means, 
"the  things  contained  in  the  law."  "For,"  as  "  there  is 
no  respect  of  persons  with  God,"  in  regard  to  the  provision 
made  for  their  final  salvation ;  and  having,  in  divine  wis- 
dom, withheld  the  written  law  from  the  Gentiles,  he  never- 
theless "left  them  without  excuse,"  in  communicating 
light  and  grace  to  them  by  other  instrumentalities  ;  for  they 
"show  the  work  of  the  law  written  on  their  hearts." 
Therefore,  while  the  heart  of  the  Jew  is  impressed  with 
the  conviction  of  truth  and  duty,  by  the  written  law  of 
God,  the  Gentile  has  written  en  his  heart,  with  more  or 
less  clearness,  the  same  conviction,  by  the  divine  agency 
and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  gift  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  who  is  the  light  of  the  world.  In  this  view  of  the 
subject,  we  can  readily  see  how  God  is  no  respecter  of  per- 
sons, having  given  his  Son  to  taste  death  for  every  man ; 
and  how  the  grace  of  God  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teach- 
ing them  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  godly  in  this 
present  world;  so  that  the  Gentiles,  if  they  improve  the 
light  and  grace  peculiar  to  their  dispensation,  though  denied 
the  written  law,   may  nevertheless  be  saved,  through  the 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  61 

vicarious  atonement  and  mediation  of  Jesus  Christ.  This 
system  of  divine  mercy  and  grace,  though  but  partially  en- 
joyed by  mankind  heretofore,  is  designed  by  its  glorious 
Author,  in  its  final  consummation,  to  fill  the  whole  earth 
with  its  glory.  That  the  Savior's  commission  to  his  min- 
isters implies  this,  none  who  believe  the  Bible  to  be  the 
record  of  God,  will  entertain  a  doubt.  And  that  the  inspir- 
ed prophets  so  understood  the  subject,  and  anticipated  the 
universal  spread  of  the  Gospel,  and  the  establishment  of 
the  ordinances  of  the  house  of  God,  among  all  the  nations, 
families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth,  will  appear  equally 
clear  from  the  following  testimonies. 

"  Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon  my  holy  hill  of  Zion. 
I  will  declare  the  decree:  the  Lord  hath  said  unto  me, 
Thou  art  my  Son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.  Ask  of 
me,  and  I  shall  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thine  inheritance, 
and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy  possession," 
Psalm  ii,  6-S.  That  the  King,  whose  triumphant  reign 
is  here  contemplated,  has  special  reference  to  the  Messiah, 
is  too  plain  to  require  proof;  and  that  his  reign  implies 
universal  dominion,  Universalism  will  not  doubt.  The  only 
question,  therefore,  to  be  settled,  is.  Does  his  reign  over 
the  heathen,  as  his  inheritance,  and  his  claiming  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth  for  a  possession,  imply  their  abso- 
lute and  final  salvation  ?  or,  the  universal  spread  of  the 
Gospel,  under  his  mediatorial  reign?  Universalism,  to 
support  the  former,  has  to  assume,  that  the  terms  "  inheri- 
tance" and  "possession"  in  the  text,  are  equivalent  to  un- 
conditional salvation  in  heaven.  A  few  quotations,  how- 
ever, will  destroy  this  assumption.  "  Blessed  be  Abram 
of  the  Most  High  God,  possessor  of  heaven  and  earth," 
Gen.  xiv,  19.  "The  earth  also,  with  all  that  therein  is, 
are  the  Lord's,"  Deut.  x,  14.  "  Who  said.  Let  us  take  to 
ourselves  the  houses  of  God  in  possession,"  Psalm  Ixxxiii, 
12.     In  the  first  two  quotations  it  is  seen,  that  God  is  said 

6 


62  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [ciIAP.    II. 

to  be  in  possession  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  that  therein 
is  ;  and  yet,  neither  the  earth,  nor  an  individual  then  living 
on  it,  was  actually  saved  in  heaven;  from  which  it  is  clear, 
that  an  individual,  or  the  whole  of  our  race,  may  be  the 
po«session  of  the  Lord,  and  not  one  of  them  on  that  account 
alone,  be  finally  saved  in  the  future  world.  And  on  the 
last  quotation,  it  should  be  recollected,  that  the  object  they 
had  in  view  in  taking  possession  of  the  houses  of  God, 
was  not  salvation,  but  to  pollute  and  destroy  them :  and 
that  the  possession  of  the  heathen,  and  the  uttermost  parts 
of  the  earth  by  Christ,  as  set  forth  in  the  passage  under 
consideration,  does  not  necessarily  imply  absolute  salvation ; 
and  that  it  is  not  incompatible  even  with  destruction,  is 
plain  from  the  ninth  verse,  which  says  :  "  Thou  shalt  break 
them  with  a  rod  of  iron ;  thou  shalt  dash  them  in  pieces 
like  a  potter's  vessel."  But  to  serve  the  purpose  of  Uni- 
versalism,  it  should  read,  "  Thou  shalt  absolutely,  and 
unconditionally,  save  them  in  heaven."  When  we  hear 
Jesus  announce  that,  "  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in 
heaven  and  in  earth,"  Matt,  xxviii,  18,  it  is  not  difficult  to 
see  how  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  are  his  possession, 
as  the  subjects  of  his  government,  in  his  mediatorial  reign, 
and  the  objects  of  his  final  judgment  at  the  close  of  time; 
without  that  possession  implying  their  absolute  salvation, 
any  more  than  the  absolute  salvation  in  heaven,  of  the 
earth  and  all  that  is  therein,  is  implied  because  they  belong 
to  God. 

The  result  will  be  equally  unfavorable  to  Universalism, 
on  the  examination  of  the  term  "  inheritance."  "  Yet  they 
are  thy  people  and  thine  inheritance,  which  thou  broughtest 
out  by  thy  mighty  power,  and  by  thy  stretched-out  arm," 
Deut.  ix,  29.  "  For  they  be  thy  people,  and  thine  inher- 
itance, which  thou  broughtest  forth  out  of  Egypt,  from  the 
midst  of  the  furnace  of  iron,"  1  Kings  viii,  51.  Here  it 
is  seen,  1.  Tliat  the  people  referred  to  were  virtually  living 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  63 

upon  the  earth ;  and,  2.  That  wliile  living  on  the  earth, 
they  are  declared  to  be  the  inheritance  of  God ;  therefore, 
man  may  be  the  divine  inheritance  in  this,  without  being 
necessarily  saved  in  the  future  world.  3.  If  the  Jews 
could  be  the  inheritance  of  God,  without,  at  the  same  time, 
being  saved  in  heaven ;  on  the  same  principle,  the  heathen 
can  be  given  to  Jesus  Christ  for  his  inheritance,  and  the 
uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession,  without  im- 
plying the  absolute  salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven. 

With  those  supposed  difficulties  removed,  which  Univer- 
salism  has  thrown  around  the  text,  it  stands  forth  in  great 
beauty  and  force,  in  support  of  the  doctrine  of  the  univer- 
sal spread  of  the  Gospel,  under  the  mediatorial  reign  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  the  kingdom  of  grace. 

Again :  "  My  praise  shall  be  of  thee  in  the  great  congre- 
gation ;  I  will  pay  my  vows  before  them  that  fear  him. 
The  meek  shall  eat  and  be  satisfied ;  they  shall  praise  the 
Lord  that  seek  him :  your  heart  shall  live  for  ever.  All 
the  ends  of  the  world  shall  remember  and  turn  unto  the 
Lord :  and  all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  shall  worship 
before  thee.  For  the  kingdom  is  the  Lord's :  and  he  is 
the  Governor  among  the  nations,"  Psalm  xxii,  25-28. 

Such  was  the  prophetic  light  with  which  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  his  divine  character,  indulged  the  Psalmist;  for 
it  was  "the  Spirit  of  Christ  which  was  in"  him,  when 
he  "  testified  before  hand  the  sufi^erings  of  Christ,  and  the 
glory  which  should  follow,"  1  Peter  i,  11.  And  this  inspi- 
ration by  Christ  was  eflfected  through  the  immediate  agency 
of  the  Holy  Ghost;  for  "holy  men  of  old  spake  as  they 
were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,"  2  Peter  i,  21 ;  that  he 
beheld  the  future,  and  described  the  rising  and  spreading 
glories  of  Messiah's  reign,  Avith  a  clearness  which,  but  for 
facts  to  the  contrary,  might  be  supposed  to  be  a  history  of 
the  past,  rather  than  predictions  of  the  future.  Till  Uni- 
versalism  recently  made  the  discovery,  that  this  Scripture 


64  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    H. 

proves  the  absolute  salvation  of  all  men  in  heaven,  the 
Church,  embracing  many  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  in  the 
world,  supposed  this  psalm  to  be,  in  general,  a  sublime 
prediction  of  the  character  and  reign  of  Jesus  Christ,  his 
triumph  over  all  his  enemies,  and  the  universal  spread  of 
his  Gospel  among  mankind  in  this  world.  And  that  such 
is  the  fact,  will  appear,  we  think,  from  the  following  con- 
siderations. 

The  scenes  contemplated  must  take  place  either  in  this 
or  the  future  world — in  earth  or  in  heaven.  Universalism 
cannot  admit  that  they  belong  to  this  world  without  wholly 
relinquishing  the  claimed  support  of  this,  and  all  other 
Scriptures  of  similar  import.  And  that  they  cannot  refer 
to  the  future  world,  we  offer  the  following  reasons:  1. 
Those  referred  to  in  the  passage  are,  to  "  remember  and  re- 
turn unto  the  Lord;"  which,  without  doubt,  supposes,  that 
they  have  been  forgetful  of,  and  morally  far  from  him; 
and  if  the  heavenly  world  is  the  scene  of  action,  it  follows, 
that  some,  at  least,  will  be  wicked  when  they  enter  heaven, 
and  must  be  reformed  there.  But  this  is  not  only  without 
authority  from,  but  wholly  opposed  to  the  doctrines  of  the 
Bible.  2.  At  the  time  alluded  to,  the  Lord  will  be  the 
governor  among  the  "nations,"  therefore  there  must  be 
nations,  with  their  distinctions  as  such,  in  heaven ;  which 
is  too  absurd  to  be  allowed  for  a  moment,  consequently 
these  things  cannot  belong  to  the  future  and  heavenly  world. 
3.  In  the  context  it  is  said,  "All  they  that  be  fat  upon 
earth,  shall  eat  and  worship ;  all  they  that  go  down  to  the 
dust,  shall  bow  before  him ;  and  none  can  keep  alive  his  own 
soul.  *  *  *  They  shall  come,  and  shall  declare  his 
righteousness  unto  a  people  that  shall  be  born,  that  he  hath 
done  this,"  Psalm  xxii,  29-31.  From  which  it  follows, 
that  procreation,  the  earth,  dust,  and  death,  must  be  in 
heaven,  if  this  subject  must  be  referred  to  that  state.  But 
the  whole  subject  is  harmonious,  when  referred  to  the  ulti- 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  65 

mate  prosperity  of  the  Church  in  this  world,  and  presents 
another  grand  prophetic  testimony  in  support  of  the  great 
provision  God  has  made,  through  Christ,  for  the  universal 
diffusion  of  the  Gospel  among  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
"  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  day,  that  the  moun- 
tain of  the  Lord's  house  shall  be  established  in  the  top  of 
the  mountains,  and  shall  be  exalted  above  the  hills ;  and  all 
nations  shall  flow  unto  it ;  and  many  people  shall  go  and 
say,  Come  ye,  and  let  us  go  up  to  the  mountain  of  the 
Lord,  to  the  house  of  the  God  of  Jacob ;  and  he  will  teach 
us  of  his  ways,  and  we  will  walk  in  his  paths ;  for  out  of 
Zion  shall  go  forth  the  law,  and  the  word  of  the  Lord  from 
Jerusalem.  And  he  shall  judge  among  the  nations,  and 
shall  rebuke  many  people  ;  and  they  shall  beat  their  swords 
into  ploughshears,  and  their  spears  into  pruning-hooks ;  na- 
tion shall  not  lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall 
they  learn  war  any  more,"  Isaiah  ii,  2-4. 

The  application  of  this  prophecy  to  the  Church,  and  to 
the  spread  of  the  Gospel  in  this  world,  is  clearly  settled  by 
the  Savior:  "Then  opened  he  their  understanding,  that 
they  might  understand  the  Scriptures ;  and  said  unto  them, 
Thus  it  is  written,  and  thus  it  behooved  Christ  to  suffer, 
and  to  rise  from  the  dead  the  third  day ;  and  that  repen- 
tance and  remission  of  sins  should  be  preached  in  his  name 
among  all  nations,  beginning  at  Jerusalem.  And  ye  are 
witnesses  of  these  things,"  Luke  xxiv,  45-48.  Com- 
ment is  unnecessary  to  show,  that  this  prophecy  cannot 
apply  to  the  future  world,  and,  consequently,  can  afford 
Universalism  no  possible  support.  "  And  in  this  mountain 
shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast  of  fat 
things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees ;  of  fat  things  full  of 
marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined.  And  he  will 
destroy  in  this  mountain  the  face  of  the  covering  cast  over 
all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread  over  all  nations.  He 
will  swallow  up  death  in  victory ;  and  the  Lord  God  will 

6* 


66  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    II. 

wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;  and  the  rebuke  of  his 
people  shall  be  taken  away  from  off  all  the  earth ;  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken  it.  And  it  shall  be  said  in  that  day,  Lo, 
this  is  our  God ;  we  have  waited  for  him,  we  will  be  glad 
and  rejoice  in  his  salvation.  For  in  this  mountain  shall 
the  hand  of  the  Lord  rest,  and  Moab  shall  be  trodden  down 
under  him,  even  as  straw  is  trodden  down  for  the  dung- 
hill," Isaiah  xxv,  6-10. 

That  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  as  contemplated  by  the 
prophet,  are  the  objects  of  the  Divine  interest  and  care, 
will  not  be  questioned ;  and  the  only  inquiry  is,  are  those 
nations  considered  with  reference  to  the  blessings  of  the 
Gospel  in  this  world ;  or  with  reference,  exclusively,  to 
their  absolute  and  final  salvation  in  heaven  ?  Universalism 
has,  from  unavoidable  necessity,  to  maintain  the  latter;  and 
if  it  be  correct,  the  prophet  must  be  understood,  substan- 
tially, as  follows :  "And  in  this  mountain,"  that  is,  in 
heaven,  "shall  the  Lord  of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a 
feast  of  fat  things  :"  *  *  *  "  wines  on  the  lees,"  * 
*  *  "fat  things  full  of  marrow,"  *  *  *  "wines 
well  refined ;"  all  this  must  really  take  place  in  heaven. 
"And  he  will  destroy  in  this  mountain  (heaven)  the  face  of 
the  covering  cast  over  all  people,  and  the  vail  that  is  spread 
over  all  nations;"  therefore,  "all  people"  and  "all  na- 
tions" must,  in  the  first  place,  be  taken  to  heaven  under 
the  covering  and  vail  of  darkness,  ignorance  and  sin ;  and 
this  work  of  destruction  and  reformation,  must  be  accom- 
plished in  heaven.  Again:  "He  will  swallow  up  death  in 
victory;"  *  *  *  "  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;" 
"  the  rebuke  of  his  people  shall  be  taken  away  from  off  all 
the  earth."  And  as  all  this  must  be  effected  "  in  this 
mountain,"  (heaven,)  it  follows,  that  "death,"  "tears," 
"the  rebuke  of  God's  people,"  and  "earth"  itself,  will  all 
be  in  heaven.  But  this  is  not  all:  "For  in  this  mountain 
(heaven)  Moab  shall  be  trodden  down  under  him,  even  as 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  67 

Straw  is  trodden  down  for  the  dung-hill."  What  splendid 
scenes  does  this  system  attribute  to  heaven !  And  these 
absurdities,  and  the  palpable  contradiction  of  the  prophet 
cannot  be  avoided,  but  by  allowing  that  these  grand  scenes 
take  place  in  this  world,  in  the  earth,  where  they  are  loca- 
ted by  the  man  of  God.  In  this  view,  the  subject  is  intelli- 
gible and  edifying;  and  under  the  figure  of  a  great  feast, 
tlie  prophet  presents  us  with  another  sublime  description  of 
the  boundless  provisions  of  the  grace  of  God,  and  the  dif- 
fusion of  his  blessings  by  the  propagation  of  the  Gospel  of 
Jesus  Christ.  "And  in  this  mountain,"  the  Zion,  or 
Church  of  God,  the  spiritual  Jerusalem,  "shall  the  Lord 
of  hosts  make  unto  all  people  a  feast ;"  and  he  will  destroy 
and  take  away  by  the  instructions  of  the  Gospel,  the  light 
of  his  grace,  and  the  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which 
shall  be  thus  universally  diffused,  the  covering  and  vail  of 
ignorance,  darkness,  superstition,  idolatry  and  vice,  cast 
over  all  people,  spread  over  all  nations ;  and  they  shall  be 
abundantly  refreshed  by  the  doctrines,  sacraments,  and 
institutions  of  the  Gospel,  with  all  the  immunities  of  the 
Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  shall  greatly  rejoice  in  hope 
of  a  blessed  immortality  in  heaven;  "he  shall  swallow  up 
death  in  victory ;"  *  *  *  "  wipe  away  tears  from 
off  all  faces."  As  sin  is  the  cause  of  tears  and  death, 
to  save  us  from  sin,  is  to  wipe  away  our  tears,  and  deliver 
us  from  the  fear  of  death  here,  and  the  power  of  death 
hereafter.  "The  sting  of  death  is  sin,  and  the  strength  of 
sin  is  the  law;  but  thanks  be  to  God,  which  giveth  us 
the  victory,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Cor.  xv, 
56,  57.  "  Christ  hath  redeemed  us  from  the  curse  of  the 
law,  being  made  a  curse  for  us,"  Gal.  iii,  13.  And  in  this 
Gospel  feast,  is  offered  to  all  people,  all  nations,  a  present 
and  personal  salvation  from  sin,  by  grace,  through  faith ; 
this  salvation  takes  away  the  sting  of  death,  for  "the  sting 
of  death  is  sin."     So  far,  therefore,  in  this  world,  shall  he 


68  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  [cHAP.    II. 

swallow  up  death  in  victory  ;  and  in  the  general  resurrec- 
tion, literal,  temporal  death  shall  be  no  more. 

"  God  will  wipe  away  tears  from  off  all  faces ;"  that  is, 
Christianity  shall  so  universally  and  powerfully  prevail,  as 
to  bring  all  communities,  states,  and  nations  of  the  whole 
earth,  to  acknowledge  its  heavenly  and  divine  origin,  and 
as  having  a  universal  claim  upon  the  obedience  of  all  men. 
All  wicked  despotisms  shall  be  destroyed;  tyranny,  human 
oppression,  and  cruelty  shall  cease ;  moral  ignorance  shall 
be  dispelled  ;  persecution  of  God's  people  be  turned  away  ; 
and  such  will  be  the  convictions  of  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
that,  legislatively  and  otherwise,  the  divinity  and  claims  of 
Christianity  will  be  recognized  in  every  department  of 
human  society.  And  thus,  with  the  obstructions  to  the  en- 
joyment of  Christianity,  and  sin,  the  cause  of  weeping, 
removed,  God  will,  comparatively,  wipe  away  tears  from 
off  all  faces  in  this  world. 

That  this  sublime  prediction  has  relation  to  the  prosperity 
of  the  Church  in  this  world,  is  rendered  indisputable  by 
what  is  said  of  "Moab;"  for,  on  the  very  scene  of  action, 
where  the  victory  over  death  is  to  be  achieved,  and  tears 
wiped  away,  Moab,  who,  doubtless,  is  put  for  all  who  may 
oppose  the  triumphs  of  the  cross  at  the  time,  shall  be  trod- 
den down  as  straw  is  trodden  down  for  the  dung-hill.  This 
cannot  take  place  in  heaven ;  and  yet  it  is  a  part  of,  and 
inseparable  from,  the  scene  contemplated  in  the  prophecy, 
and  fixes  the  application  of  the  whole  to  human  society  in 
this  state  of  being. 

*'  Look  unto  me,  and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the 
earth  :  for  I  am  God,  and  there  is  none  else.  I  have  sworn 
by  myself,  the  word  is  gone  out  of  my  mouth  in  righteous- 
ness, and  shall  not  return.  That  unto  me  every  knee  shall 
bow,  every  tongue  shall  swear.  Surely,  shall  one  say.  In 
the  Lord  have  I  righteousness  and  strength :  even  to  him 
shall  men  come  ;  and  all  that  are  incensed  against  him  shall 


CHAP.    II.]  GENERAL    BLESSINGS.  69 

be  ashamed.  In  the  Lord  shall  all  the  seed  of  Israel  be 
justified,  and  shall  glory,"  Isaiah  xlv,  22-25. 

As  this  prophecy  contemplates  the  triumphant  reign  of 
the  Savior,  and  the  offer  of  salvation,  by  the  Gospel,  to  the 
ends  of  the  earth,  it  is  claimed,  with  apparent  confidence, 
in  support  of  Universalism  ;  particularly  the  declarations, 
"  Every  knee  shall  bow,  and  every  tongue  shall  swear:" 
for,  as  this  language  implies  universality,  it  must  include 
all  of  our  race;  and  as  it  is  claimed  to  be  equivalent  to 
absolute  salvation  in  heaven,  the  doctrine  is  thence  inferred. 
But  let  us  read  it  according  to  this  view :  "  I  have  sworn 
by  myself,"  *  *  *  "that  unto  me  every  knee  shall 
bow,  every  tongue  shall  swear;"  that  is,  I  have  sworn, 
that  every  human  being  in  the  universe  shall  be  uncondi- 
tionally saved  in  heaven  ;  therefore,  "  all  that  are  incensed 
against"  me,  instead  of  being  "ashamed,"  shall  be  of  the 
happy  number  of  the  glorified.  This  would  have  set  the 
question  for  ever  at  rest.  But  God  has  not  said  it ;  and  for 
Universalism  to  attribute  such  doctrines  to  him,  is  to  per- 
vert his  word,  dictate  to  the  Deity,  and  ruin  the  souls  of  men. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  Scriptures  adduced,  and  it  is 
equally  true  of  all  those  of  similar  import,  cannot  be  applied 
to  the  final,  unconditional  salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven, 
without  involving  the  greatest  contradictions  and  absurdi- 
ties ;  while  they  prove,  most  conclusively,  the  final  pros- 
perity of  the  Church  of  God  in  this  world.  This  fact  at 
once  deprives  Universalism  of  its  entire  support.  These 
triumphs  of  the  cross,  through  the  Divine  Spirit,  have  long 
since  commenced ;  and  although,  at  some  periods  and  in 
some  places,  the  progress  has  been  slow,  it  will  doubtless 
continue,  with  increased  light  and  glory,  until  the  habita- 
tions of  cruelty  shall  be  visited  by  his  saving  truth,  moral 
darkness  be  dispelled  from  the  earth,  the  nations  learn  war 
no  more,  the  instruments  of  death  be  converted  into  imple- 
ments of  husbandry,  the  watchmen  on  Zion's  walls  see  eye 


70  GENERAL    BLESSINGS  [cHAP.    II. 

to  eye,  and  the  earth  be  filled  with  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord,  as  the  waters  cover  tlie  face  of  the  great  deep. 

In  closing  this  part  of  our  work,  let  it  be  distinctly  kept 
in  mind,  that  from  the  fact  that  God  promised  to  Abraham, 
that  in  his  seed,  (namely,  in  Christ,)  all  the  nations,  fami- 
lies, and  kindreds  of  the  earth  should  be  blessed,  Univer- 
salism  assumes  that  the  promised  blessing  is  the  uncondi- 
tional salvation  of  all  our  race  in  heaven.  And  the  assump- 
tion proceeds  on  the  ground,  that  God  cannot  grant  a 
universal  blessing  in  Christ,  without  universal  salvation  in 
the  future  world.  On  this  position,  the  system  relies  with 
more  confidence  for  support  from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  than 
any  other. 

The  Divine  promise  to  Abraham,  confirmed  by  an  oath, 
included  three  particulars  :  1.  That  Abraham  should  have 
a  numerous  posterity.  2.  That  they  should  possess  and 
enjoy  the  land  of  Canaan.  3.  That  in  his  seed,  Christ, 
(who,  according  to  the  flesh  should  descend  from  him,)  all 
the  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  should  be 
blessed. 

That  the  first  and  second  features  of  this  promise  have 
been  fulfilled,  without  implying  the  salvation  in  heaven  of 
those  who  were  the  subjects,  and  objects  of  the  promise, 
cannot  be  matter  of  dispute ;  and  that  the  last  feature  of 
the  promise  has  been  fulfilled,  will  appear  from  the  follow- 
ing facts,  which  have  been  established  by  the  authority  of 
Divine  testimony,  in  the  foregoing  investigation. 

I.  God  has  blessed  individuals,  families,  and  nations,  and 
is  still  blessing  others,  without  that  blessing  absolutely  sav- 
ing them  in  heaven. 

II.  Those  universal  blessings  have  been,  and  still  are, 
bestowed  in  Christ,  through  and  by  Christ.  1.  He,  by  the 
grace  of  God,  tasted  death  for  every  man.  2.  He,  through 
the  Divine  agency  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  the 
true   light   that  lighteth   every  man   that  cometh  into  the 


CHAP.    II.]  C£NERAL    BLESSINGS.  7t 

world.  3.  Through  tlie  merit  of  his  vicarious  sufferings 
and  death,  and  his  mediatorial  reiffii  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace,  abundant  provision  is  made  for  the  universal  spread 
of  the  Gospel,  and  the  establishment  of  the  Church,  with 
all  her  distinguished  privileges,  among  the  nations  of  the 
whole  earth.  And  this  universal  blessing  in  Christ  does 
not,  and  cannot,  imply  their  necessary  and  absolute  salva- 
tion in  heaven ;  for  the  nations  of  the  earth  are  now  the 
subjects  and  objects  of  this  universal  redemption  by  Christ, 
and  its  accompanying  and  consequent  blessings,  and  are 
not  now  saved  in  the  future  world  of  endless  bliss.  So 
that  God  has  fulfilled  his  promise  and  oath  to  Abraham  to 
the  letter,  and  that  too  without  the  unconditional  salvation 
of  one  adult  member  of  our  whole  race. 

In  the  light  of  the  above  facts,  and  the  indisputable  au- 
thority of  the  word  of  God,  Universalism  must  meet  the 
following  dilemma :  Either  admit  that  God  has,  in  the  re- 
demption of  the  world  by  Christ,  and  the  consequent  bene- 
fits ;  according  to  his  promise  and  oath  to  Abraham,  blessed 
all  the  nations,  famihes,  and  kindreds  of  the  earth  ;  or  deny 
absolutely,  that  the  death  of  Jesus  Christ — Christ,  as  the 
light  of  the  world — Christ,  under  whose  mediatorial  reign 
the  Gospel  is  to  be  universally  published,  the  Church  obtain 
universal  dominion,  and  the  world  be  filled  with  the  knowl- 
edge of  God — is  at  all,  in  any  shape  or  form,  a  blessing  to 
mankind  in  this  world.  If  Universalism  makes  the  ad- 
mission, its  foundation,  as  far  as  the  promises,  prophecies, 
and  invitations  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  expressing  or  imply- 
ing universal  blessings,  are  concerned,  is  swept  away  by  a 
stroke.  With  the  admission,  the  system  must  expire  ;  and 
if,  to  save  an  existence,  it  denies  that  the  death  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  his  light,  grace,  and  mediation,  are  blessings 
to  mankind  in  this  world,  it  will  thereby  take  the  ground 
of  undisguised  infidelity  ;  and  should  be  viewed  and  treated 
as  such  by  the  Ciiristian  world. 


72  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [ciIAP.    III. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ABSOLUTE    AND    CONDITIONAL    PROMISES. 

Absolute  and  Conditional  Promises — Promise  in  the  Abstract  not 
an  object  of  Faith — 8ome  of  the  Divine  Promises  absolute,  and  some 
of  them  conditional — The  absolute  Divine  Promises  do  not  imply  the 
unconditional  salvation  of  all  Mankind  in  Heaven — Absolute  Prom- 
ises fulfilled  in  Christ — Salvation  rendered  possible  for  all  through 
Christ — Salvation  unconditional  to  all  who  die  Infants  and  Idiots — 
Christ  the  Savior  of  all  Men  in  this,  without  saving  them  uncondition- 
ally in  the  future  World — This  Salvation  implies  Justification  in  In- 
fancy— The  light  of  the  Spirit,  and  Hope — Recapitulation. 

By  referring  to  Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas'  letter  to  Dr.  Ely,  it 
will  be  seen  what  inferences  are  drawn  from  the  promises 
of  God,  and  what  arguments  are  raised  thereon  in  support 
of  Universalism.  In  full  confidence  of  their  soundness  and 
strength,  Mr.  Thomas  inquires,  with  evident  indications  of 
triumph,  "In  what  way  will  you  attempt  to  evade  the 
force  of  this  testimony  in  proof  of  the  final  holiness  and 
happiness  of  all  mankind?"  After  supposing  an  objection, 
that  faith  is  necessary  to  the  enjoyment  of  the  blessings 
promised,  he  proceeds  to  "reply:"  "The  promise  is  the 
thing  to  be  believed,  as  such  is  either  true  or  false.  If 
false^  no  one  can  justly  be  required  to  believe  it;  and  if 
true,  its  verity  cannot  be  afi'ected  either  by  the  faith  or  dis- 
belief of  man.  Your  argument  virtually  involves  the  ab- 
surdity, that  faitJi  creates  the  object  of  faith ;  in  other  words, 
that  the  promise  which  we  are  required  to  believe  is  not 
true  until  we  believe  it!" 

Before  entering  farther  upon  this  subject,  we  wish  to 
remove  the  obscurity  thrown  around  the  object  of  faith  by 
Messrs.  Thomas,  Biddlecom,  and  all  other  Universalists 
with  whose  views  we  are  acquainted.  They,  in  efl^ect, 
make  the  promises  of  the  Bible  in  the  abstract^  the  ob- 
ject o{  faith;  and  ns  these  promises  are  true,  irrespective 


/ 


CHAP.    Ill,]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  73 

of  our  faith,  our  disbelief  of  thein  cannot  possibly  prevent 
our  final  salvation  in  heaven.  This  is,  doubtless,  a  most 
pernicious  error ;  and  changes,  to  all  intents  and  purposes, 
the  object  of  faith  as  everywhere  set  forth  in  the  Bible. 

Let  any  one  attempt  to  separate,  in  his  mind,  the  promise 
of  future  benefits  from  tlie  agent  or  being  who  makes  them, 
and  see  if  he  can  form  an  idea  what  kind  of  an  object  of 
his  faith  that  abstract  promise  would  be,  if  he  who  made  it 
is  wholly  excluded  from  being  any  part  of  that  object,  and 
the  attempt  will  demonstrate  the  absurdity  of  this  refine- 
ment of  Universalism.  And  it  will  be  seen,  furthermore, 
that  so  far  is  a  promise  in  the  abstract  from  being  properly 
an  object  of  faith,  that  all  the  expectation  we  entertain  of 
the  fulfillment  of  any  promise,  is  the  result  of  our  confi- 
dence in  the  character,  competency,  willingness,  and  vera- 
city of  him  who  makes  the  promise,  as  the  proper  object 
of  our  faith.  In  the  Scriptures  the  case  stands  indisputa- 
bly thus :  In  the  Old  Testament,  God ;  in  the  New  Testa- 
ment, the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  (who  is  God  manifest  in  the 
flesh,)  is  appropriately  the  object  of  faith;  and  his  promises 
are  but  a  revelation  of  the  blessings  which  we  are  author- 
ized to  believe  he  will  bestow  upon  us,  on  the  terms  which 
HE  has  prescribed.  These  facts  should  be  carefully  kept 
in  view  in  the  further  examination  of  this  subject. 

There  are  but  few  points  on  which  Universalism  has 
been  more  successful  in  flattering  the  prejudiced,  and  mis- 
leading the  superficial  and  unsuspecting  minds,  than  that  of 
the  Divine  promises.  A  striking  instance  of  the  manner  in 
which  Universalists  treat  this  subject,  is  now  before  us  in 
the  case  of  Mr.  Thomas.  He  says,  the  promise  *'  is  either 
absolute  or  conditional.^^  If  "  absolute,'"  then  Universal- 
ism "  is  clearly  established;  ii  conditional,  the  absurdity 
follows  of  faith  creating  the  object  of  faith !"  This  has 
some  appearance  of  fair  reasoning.  But,  fully  to  test  its 
fairness,  and  try  its  strength,  we  will  place  the  whole  sub- 


74  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

ject  on  its  proper  ground,  and  deprecate  not  the  strictest 
scrutiny  into  the  fairness  of  the  positions.  Either,  1. 
None  of  the  Divine  promises  concerning  man's  salvation 
are  absolute ;  or,  2.  All  the  Divine  promises  are  absolute; 
or,  3.  Some  of  the  Divine  promises  are  absolute,  and  some 
of  them  are  not  absolute,  but  conditional.  If,  in  the  light 
of  the  Divine  record,  the  last  member  of  this  statement 
contains  the  facts  in  the  case,  all  we  have  to  do,  in  order 
to  a  right  understanding  of  this  important  subject,  is,  1. 
Correctly  to  distinguish  between  those  promises  that  are  ab- 
solute, and  those  that  are  conditional ;  and,  2.  To  distin- 
guish between  the  blessings  promised,  which  are  to  be  en- 
joyed by  faith  and  obedience ;  and  those  which  we  may 
be  the  subjects  of,  without  obedience  and  faith. 

Before  these  points  are  taken  up  in  order,  we  will  sub- 
mit a  few  remarks  on  the  absolute  and  conditional  promises 
of  God.  By  the  absolute  promises  must  be  understood, 
that  the  thing  promised  will  be  performed  by  the  Almighty 
himself,  independent  of  any  necessary  agency  of  man,  or 
any  other  being ;  for  example,  the  promise  of  the  gift  of 
his  Son  for  the  redemption  of  the  world.  The  fulfillment 
of  this  promise  depended  alone  on  the  veracity  and  will  of 
God,  and  was  therefore  absolute.  By  a  conditional  promise 
it  is  to  be  understood,  that  the  thing  promised  is  suspended 
on  some  act,  or  duty  to  be  performed  by  man,  to  whom 
the  promise  is  made,  as  a  condition  on  which  the  fulfillment 
depends,  and  without  which  God  cannot  bestow  the  benefit 
promised.  For  instance,  "If  ye  be  willing  and  obedient, 
ye  shall  eat  the  good  of  the  land;"  and,  "he  that  behev- 
eth,  shall  be  saved."  In  all  cases  of  conditional  promises, 
the  negation  implied,  viz.,  that  he  will  not  bestow  the  thing 
promised,  if  the  condition  be  refused,  is  as  strong  and  abso- 
lute on  the  part  of  God,  as  the  promise  is  that  the  blessing 
will  be  conferred,  if  man  performs  the  condition.  And  in 
the  above  cases,  it  would  be  as  incompatible  with  the  Divine 


CHAP,    ill.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIO xNAL  PROMISES.  75 

administration  to  bestow  the  good  of  the  land,  as  contem- 
plated in  the  former  case,  on  the  disobedient  and  rebellious ; 
or  salvation,  whether  that  salvation  refers  to  this,  or  the 
future  world,  on  the  unbelieving  in  the  latter  case,  as  it 
would  be  to  withhold  the  good  of  the  land  from  the  obedient, 
or  salvation  from  the  believing,  they  having  fully  performed 
the  conditions  on  which  the  fulfillment  of  the  promise  was 
suspended.  In  either  case,  it  would  be  equally  a  perfect 
violation  of  the  Divine  veracity,  and  an  impeachment  of 
the  whole  character  of  the  Deity. 

That  710716  of  the  promises  of  God  are  absolute,  we  pre- 
sume no  one  will  contend ;  and  particularly  Universalism, 
for  its  very  existence  depends  on  the  supposed  absoluteness 
of  the  Divine  promises.  That  all  the  promises  of  God  are 
absolute,  Universalism  will  be  reluctant  to  afRrm ;  and  if  it 
should,  we  hope  clearly  to  prove  the  contrary. 

That  some  of  the  promises  of  the  Almighty  are  absolute, 
we  readily  admit;  and  that  others  of  them  are  conditional, 
we  prove  by  the  infallible  testimony  of  the  word  of  God. 
*'At  what  instant  I  shall  speak  concerning  a  nation,  and 
concerning  a  kingdom,  to  pluck  up,  and  to  pull  down,  and 
to  destroy  it:  if  that  nation  against  whom  I  have  pro- 
nounced, turn  from  their  evil,  I  will  repent  of  the  evil  that 
I  thought  to  do  unto  them.  And  at  what  instant  I  shall 
speak  (or  promise)  concerning  a  nation,  and  concerning  a 
kingdom,  to  build  and  to  plant  it:  if  it  do  evil  in  my  sight, 
that  it  obey  not  my  voice,  then  I  will  repent  of  the  good 
wherewith  I  said  I  would  benefit  them,"  Jer.  xviii,  7-10. 
Here  is  much  more  than  an  intimation  of  the  conditionality 
of  the  Divine  promises  to  nations  and  kingdoms,  whether 
they  have  reference  to  good  or  evil.  But  see  this  fact  stri- 
kingly illustrated,  in  the  Divine  administration  in  the  case 
of  the  city  of  Nineveh.  "  So  Jonah  arose,  and  went  unto 
Nineveh,  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord.  *  *  * 
And  Jonah  began  to  enter  into  the  city  a  day's  journey,  and 


76  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [ciIAP.    111. 

he  cried,  and  said,  Yet  forty  days,  and  Nineveh  shall  be 
overthrown.  So  the  people  of  Nineveh  believed  God,  and 
proclaimed  a  fast,  and  put  on  sackcloth,  from  the  greatest 
of  them  even  to  the  least  of  them.  For  word  came  unto 
the  king  of  Nineveh,  and  he  arose  from  his  throne,  and  he 
laid  his  robe  from  him,  and  covered  him  with  sackcloth, 
and  sat  in  ashes.  *  *  *  And  God  saw  their  works, 
that  they  turned  from  their  evil  Avay ;  and  God  repented  of 
the  evil,  that  he  had  said  that  he  would  do  unto  them ;  and 
he  did  it  not,*'  Jonah  iii,  6-10. 

Let  us  try  on  those  facts,  the  Universalist  mode  of  rea- 
soning. Mr.  Thomas  says,  "The  promise  is  the  thing  to 
be  believed."  In  the  case  before  us,  the  promise  is  that 
iw  forty  days  Nineveh  should  be  destroyed;  "and  it  is 
either  true  or  false.  If  it  be  false,  no  one  can  justly  be  re- 
quired to  believe  it ;  and  if  true,  its  verity  cannot  be  affected 
either  by  the  faith  or  disbelief  of  man."  Now,  according  to 
this  logic,  if  the  declaration  of  God  against  Nineveh  was 
true,  their  faith  or  disbelief  could  not  affect  its  verity;  and 
of  course,  Nineveh  was  actually  and  literally  overthrown, 
by  this  masterly  argument  of  Mr.  T.,  within  t-he  precise 
forty  days  specified  in  the  Divine  word !  And  if  it  were 
not  true,  then  God  unjustly  required  the  Ninevites  to  be- 
lieve an  utter  falsehood !  The  first  concludes  against  mat- 
ter of  fact ;  for  Nineveh  was  spared  for  near  two  hundred 
years  after,  the  argument  of  Universalism  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding.  The  second  concludes  against  the  wis- 
dom, goodness,  holiness,  justice,  and  veracity  of  God. 
And  as  Nineveh  was  spared,  and  as  it  is  impossible  for 
God  to  lie,  let  him  be  true,  though  Universalist  logic  and 
theology,  both  be  alike  false. 

Mr.  T.  proceeds :  "  The  promise  in  question  (in  the  case 
before  us,  that  Nineveh  should  be  overthrown)  is  either  ab- 
solute or  conditional.  If  absolute,  the  thing  promised  is 
clearly  established."     That  is,  the  destruction  of  Nineveh 


CHAP.    111. J    ABSOLUTE   AND  CONDITIUNAL  PROMISES.  77 

within  forty  days  was  inevitable.  <'If  it  is  conditional,  the 
absurdity  follows,  that  faith  creates  the  object  of  faith.'* 
In  this  case,  the  faith  of  the  Ninevites  created  the  word  of 
God  which  they  believed ;  or,  as  has  been  shown,  that  he 
who  makes  the  promise  is  the  object  of  faith ;  then  indeed, 
according  to  this  argument,  their  faith  created  the  Divine 
Being,  whose  word  they  believed.  But  Nineveh  was  not 
destroyed  within  the  time,  and  their  faith  did  not  create 
the  object  thereof,  therefore  the  declaration  of  God  was 
conditional;  and  if  so,  Universalism  is  wholly  without 
foundation  in  the  word  of  God. 

But  as  this  is  a  point  of  much  importance  in  this  investi- 
gation, and  to  a  right  understanding  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
in  general,  we  give  further  proof  of  the  conditionality  of 
some  of  the  Divine  promises.  "  Then  said  David,  O, 
Lord  God  of  Israel,  thy  servant  hath  certainly  heard  that 
Saul  seeketh  to  come  to  Keilah,  to  destroy  the  city  for  my 
sake.  Will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  me  up  into  his 
hands?  Will  Saul  come  down,  as  thy  servant  hath  heard? 
O,  Lord  God  of  Israel,  I  beseech  thee,  tell  thy  servant. 
And  the  Lord  said.  He  will  come  down.  Then  said  David, 
will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  me  and  my  men  into  the 
hands  of  Saul?  And  the  Lord  said,  They  will  deliver  thee 
up.  Then  David  and  his  men,  which  were  about  six  hun- 
dred, arose  and  departed  out  of  Keilah,  and  went  whither- 
soever they  could  go.  And  it  was  told  Saul  that  David 
was  escaped  from  Keilah;  and  he  forbare  to  go  forth,'* 
I  Samuel  xxiii,  10-13.  Here  David  makes  two  direct  in- 
quiries of  the  Lord,  "  Will  Saul  come  down  to  Keilah  ? 
Will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  me  and  my  men  into  the 
hand  of  Saul  ? "  To  both  of  which,  the  Lord  answers 
directly  in  the  affirmative  ;  and  according  to  the  argument  of 
Universalism,  the  word  of  the  Lord  was  "  either  true  or 
false,  absolute  or  conditional."  If  false,  then  the  Lord  un- 
justly required  David  to  beHeve  a  falsehood.  If  true,  its* 
7^ 


7^  ABSOLUTE  AND  COxNDlTIONAL  PROMISES.    [ciIAP.    III. 

**verity  "  could  not  be  affected  by  the  faith  or  disbelief  of 
man.  But  as  the  Almighty  could  not  utter  a  falsehood,  nor 
require  a  man  to  believe  what  was  not  true,  it  then  follows, 
according  to  the  argument,  that  Saul  came  down  to  Keilah, 
and  that  the  men  of  Keilah  delivered  David  and  his  men 
into  the  hand  of  Saul,  and  that  they  were  all  slain.  But 
the  same  narrative  informs  us  directly  to  the  contrary ;  for 
David  left  Keilah,  and  when  Saul  heard  of  it  he  "  forbare 
to  go  forth ;"  and  David  lived  and  reigned  king  of  Israel, 
long  after  Saul  was  dead.  And  it  will  not  at  all  change  the 
case  to  say,  tliat  the  Divine  declarations  were  not  specifi- 
cally in  the  form  of  promises ;  for  the  veracity  of  the  Lord 
is  as  much  involved,  as  if  they  had  been  precisely  such ; 
and  there  is  no  other  principle  on  which  those,  and  numer- 
ous other  declarations  of  the  Deity,  can  be  intelligibly  un- 
derstood, than  that  of  their  conditionality,  either  expressed 
or  implied.  In  this  case  the  condition  was  implied,  and  so 
David  understood  it,  and  acted  accordingly.  If  he  remained 
in  Keilah,  Saul  would  come  down,  the  men  of  the  city 
would  deliver  him  and  his  men  up,  and  they  would  be  de- 
stroyed ;  if  he  left,  the  whole  result  would  be  reversed. 

Again  :  "  Wherefore  the  Lord  God  of  Israel  saith,  I  said 
indeed  that  thy  house,  and  the  house  of  thy  father,  should 
walk  before  me  for  ever;  but  now  the  Lord  saith.  Be  it  far 
from  me;  for  them  that  honor  me  1  will  honor,  and  they 
that  despise  me  shall  be  lightly  esteemed,"  1  Samuel  ii,  30, 
Here  the  promise  was,  that  the  house  of  Eli,  and  the 
house  of  his  father,  should  walk  before  the  Lord,  that  is, 
minister  at  his  altar,  in  the  character  of  priests  for  ever,  or 
during  the  continuance  of  the  Mosaical  law  and  dispensation  ; 
but  in  consequence  of  the  indolence,  and  want  of  promptness 
in  Eli,  to  command  his  household,  and  restrain  his  sons, 
and  their  consequent  wickedness,  and  the  insults  offered  by 
them  to  God  and  his  worship,  the  Lord  saith,  "  Be  it  far 
from  me"  to  confer  these  honorable  distinctions  on  thee 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE   AND  COXDlTIOiNAL   PROMISES.  79 

and  thy  house,  as  promised;  but  on  tlie  contrary,  "Behold, 
the  days  come  that  I  will  cut  off  thine  arm,  and  the  arm  of 
thy  father's  house,  that  tliere  shall  not  be  an  old  man  in  thy 
house  *  *  *  for  ever,"  verses  31,  32.  In  this  case, 
also,  the  same  revolting  absurdities,  on  the  Universalist 
mode  of  reasoning,  follow  ;  and  can  only  be  avoided,  on  the 
principle  of  the  implied  conditionality  of  the  Divine  prom- 
ises. Furthermore,  "Thou  shalt  therefore  keep  this  ordi- 
nance in  his  season,  from  year  to  year.  And  it  shall  be 
when  the  Lord  shall  bring  thee  into  the  land  of  the  Ca- 
naanites,  as  he  sware  unto  thee  and  to  thy  fathers,  and 
shall  give  it  thee."  This  is  a  renewal  to  the  Hebrews, 
after  their  departure  from  Egypt,  of  the  promise  and  oath 
of  God  to  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob,  concerning  the  prom- 
ised land,  and  stands  in  intimate  connection  with  the  prom- 
ise, that  "  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  nations  be  blessed," 
Gen.  xxviii,  13,  14.  On  the  Universalist  mode  of  reason- 
ing on  the  promise  and  oath  of  God,  the  promise  is  the 
thing  to  be  believed,  and  is  either  true  or  false.  If  false, 
God  was  unjust  in  requiring  them  to  believe  it;  if  true, 
then  their  actual  enjoyment  of  the  promised  possession  was 
infallibly  secured.  But  what  are  the  facts  in  this  case? 
"Doubdess  you  shall  not  come  into  the  land,  concerning 
which  I  sware  to  make  you  dwell  therein,  save  Caleb  the 
son  of  Jephunneh,  and  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun.  But  your 
little  ones,  which  ye  said  should  be  a  prey,  them  will  I 
bring  in,  and  they  shall  know  the  land  which  ye  have  de- 
spised. But  as  for  you,  your  carcasses,  they  shall  fall  in 
the  wilderness  ;  and  your  children  shall  wander  in  the  wil- 
derness forty  years,  and  bear  your  whoredoms,  until  your 
carcasses  be  wasted  in  the  wilderness.  After  the  number  of 
the  days  in  which  ye  searched  the  land,  even  forty  days, 
each  day  for  a  year,  shall  ye  bear  your  iniquities,  even  forty 
yecrs,  and  ye  shall  know  my  breach  of  promise,"  Num- 
bers xiv,  30-34. 


80  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cilAP.    III. 

From  these  testimonies,  there  is  no  aUernative  for  Uni- 
versalism,  but  to  charge  the  Almighty  with  falsehood,  or 
admit  the  conditionality  of  the  promise  and  oath  of  God. 
The  former  would  be  blasphemy  in  a  high  degree ;  the  lat- 
ter would  be  totally  ruinous  to  the  system. 

From  the  examples  brought  forward  on  this  point,  and 
they  might  be  greatly  extended,  the  conclusion  is  inevita- 
ble, that  some  of  the  promises  of  God  are  conditional;  and 
that  the  final  result  to  man  is  suspended  on  his  own  actions 
as  an  intelligent,  accountable,  moral  agent;  and  that  the 
withholding  the  blessing  promised,  when  man  refuses  to 
comply  with  the  conditions,  is  as  perfectly  consistent  with 
the  Divine  character,  as  the  bestowment  of  it  is,  when  man 
complies  with  the  conditions,  by  the  faithful  performance 
of  all  his  duties.  Any  other  conclusion  must  contradict 
matter  of  fact  and  the  word  of  God. 

But  as  Universalism  depends  more  for  success  on  equiv- 
ocation and  evasion,  than  fair  investigation,  it  may  attempt 
to  escape  the  force  of  these  conclusions,  by  asserting,  that 
in  the  above  examples  the  promises  did  not  contemplate 
universal  blessings,  and  that  they  did  not  refer  directly  to 
the  salvation  of  the  soul.  To  admit  the  position,  does  not 
at  all  affect  the  question ;  for  the  point  under  consideration 
is  not  the  salvation  of  the  soul  directly,  but  the  condition- 
ality of  some  of  the  promises  of  God.  But  that  they  did 
not  refer  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul  is  not  the  fact ;  for  it 
will  be  seen,  on  Universalist  principles,  that  in  the  case  of 
the  Ninevites,  the  declaration,  that  in  forty  days  Nineveh 
should  be  destroyed,  and  their  faith  therein,  and  consequent 
repentance,  kept  them  out  of  heaven  for  many  years ;  for 
if  they  had  not  believed  and  reformed,  they  would  all  have 
been  perfectly  safe  and  happy  in  heaven,  within  the  precise 
forty  days  specified  in  the  declaration. 

It  is  true,  however,  that  in  the  case  of  the  Israelites, 
whose    *' carcasses    were   wasted   in   the   wilderness,"   the 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE   AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  81 

result  was  widely  difTereiit.  For,  unlike  the  Ninevites, 
whose  obedience  kept  them  out  of  heaven  for  many  years, 
the  Israelites,  by  their  murmuring-,  rebellious,  stubborn  un- 
belief of  God's  promises,  provoked  the  Divine  judgments 
upon  themselves,  and  were  taken  directly  to  heaven  ;  ex- 
cept the  minors,  who  could  not  disbelieve  or  rebel,  and 
Caleb  and  Joshua,  who  believed  the  promises  and  were 
faithful  and  obedient,  and  were  kept  out  of  heaven  thereby 
for  many  years!     Such  are  the  absurdities  of  the  system. 

Having  admitted  that  some  of  the  promises  of  God  are 
absolute,  and  having  proved,  as  we  hope,  to  a  demonstra- 
tion, that  others  are  conditional,  the  way  is  prepared  by  a 
fair  and  legitimate  process,  fully  to  test  the  strength  of  the 
position,  that  the  Divine  promise  implies  the  unconditional 
salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven. 

It  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  Universalism  is  compelled 
to  take  the  ground  that  God's  promise  of  universal  blessings 
in  Christ,  includes  the  absolute  holiness  and  happiness  in 
the  future  world  of  each  individual  of  our  race,  irrespec- 
tive of  their  faith  or  unbelief  in  this  world ;  and  that  the 
conditional  promises  (if  there  are  such)  include  temporal 
blessings,  and  a  partial  salvation  of  some  portion  of  the 
human  family  in  this  life.  To  establish  this  distinctly,  we 
again  quote  Mr.  Thomas,  knowing  that  he  is  always  good 
authority  on  the  side  of  Universalism.  In  commenting  on 
this  text,  "  For  therefore  we  both  labor  and  suffer  reproach, 
because  we  trust  in  the  living  God,  who  is  the  Savior  of 
all  men,  especially  of  those  who  believe.  These  things 
command  and  teach,"  1  Tim.  iv,  10.  He  says,  in  refer- 
ence to  the  universal  feature  of  the  text,  "  But  all  men  are 
NOW  in  the  purpose  of  heaven,  what  they  all  shall  be  in 
fact;  '^  *  the  popular  estimate  of  faith,  and  of  the 
benefits  accruing  therefrom,  is  radically  erroneous.  *  * 
And,  sir,  a  faithful  examination  of  this  subject,  in  the  light 
I  have  presented  it,  will  saiisfy  you,   that  the  happiness  of 


82  ABSOLUTE  AxND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [CHAP.    III. 

the  future  state  is  not  dependent  on  the  exercise  of  faith  in 
any  doctrine  whatever.  The  reception  of  immortal  bles- 
sedness, by  any  of  our  race,  depends  solely  and  alone  on 
the  accomplishment  of  the  gracious  purposes  of  the  living 
God."  On  the  special  feature  of  the  text,  Mr.  T.  says, 
*'  Should  you  desire  to  know  in  what  the  special  salvation 
of  believers  consists,  this  is  my  reply :  In  believing  the 
glorious  truth  that  God  is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  they  enter 
into  rest — they  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory.  *  *  *  And  {?2  believing  that  the  living  God 
is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  (in  the  Universalist  sense,)  they 
enjoy  the  special  salvation  mentioned  in  the  text."  Theo- 
logical Discussion,  by  Ely  and  Thomas,  pp.  282,  283,  284. 
On  Universalist  principles,  as  "  the  happiness  of  the  future 
state  is  not  dependent  on  the  exercise  of  faith  in  any  doc- 
trine whatever,"  men  may  reject,  and  utterly  disbelieve  all 
Bible  doctrine,  even  the  existence  of  God  ;  openly  avow, 
live,  and  die  in  all  the  profanity  of  atheism,  and  yet  be  un- 
conditionally saved  in  heaven  !  And  in  relation  to  the  spe- 
cial salvation  in  this  world,  as  "  the  popular  estimate  of 
faith  *  ^  is  radically  erroneous,"  the  true  faith 
must  be  Universalism  ;  and  the  effect  is,  joy  and  rejoicing 
in  the  belief  that  all  men  will  be  finally,  regardless  of  their 
faith  or  practice,  saved  in  heaven,  and  of  course,  himself 
among  them. 

To  all  such  triflers  with  sacred  truth,  we  would  recom- 
mend the  caution  of  God  by  his  apostle:  *' And  for  this 
cause  God  shall  send  them  strong  delusion,  that  they  should 
believe  a  lie  ;  that  they  all  mightbe  damned  who  believed  not 
the  truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness,"  2  Thess. 
ii,  11,  12. 

The  question  now  at  issue  is,  Do  the  absolute  promises 
of  God  embrace  the  unconditional  salvation  of  each  indi- 
vidual of  the  human  family  in  heaven  ;  and  do  the  condi- 
tional promises  of  God   emhnirc  only  temporal  blessings, 


CHAP.    III. J    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  83 

and  a  partial  salvation  for  a  part  of  mankind  in  this  world  ? 
Universalism  affirms,  and  we  deny  it.  In  all  justice,  and 
according  to  all  fair  rules  of  theological  investigation,  Uni- 
versalism is  bound  to  prove  the  affirmative  of  this  question, 
by  the  word  of  God,  with  a  clearness  equal  to  the  impor- 
tance of  the  subject.  We  have  frequently  announced,  in 
public  and  in  private,  and  we  here  repeat  it,  that  if  Univer- 
salism will  produce  one  plain  declaration  from  the  word  of 
God  in  support  of  the  system,  either  affirmatively,  that  all 
men  shall  be  unconditionally  saved  in  heaven,  irrespective 
of  faith  and  practice ;  or  negatively,  that  no  one  of  our  race 
shall  be  miserable  in  the  future  world,  we  would  publicly 
renounce  orthodoxy,  and  proclaim  in  favor  of  Universal- 
ism. Will  the  system  dare  make  the  attempt?  Leaving 
it  to  reflect,  we  proceed  to  show,  1.  That  the  absolute  Di- 
vine promises  procure  a  possible  salvation  for  all  mankind. 
2.  That  they  procure  an  absolute  salvation  in  heaven  for 
all  infants,  and  idiots  dying  in  the  state  of  infancy  or  idio- 
cy; and,  3.  A  conditional  salvation  from  sin  here,  and  in 
heaven  hereafter,  for  all  adult  persons  of  our  whole  race. 

That  the  promises,  "The  seed  of  the  woman  shall 
bruise  the  serpent's  head;"  "  that  in  Christ,  as  the  seed  of 
Abraham,  all  the  nations,  families,  and  kindreds  of  the 
earth  should  be  blessed,"  and  others  of  similar  import, 
were  absolute,  and  a  universal  blessing  was  contemplated, 
we  readily  concede;  and  that  these  promises  were,  and 
will  be  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ,  Universalism  cannot  deny, 
without  renouncing  Christ  altogether  as  a  Savior.  This, 
as  has  been  shown,  must  stamp  infidelity  upon  the  whole 
system. 

The  question  now  arises.  Did  the  fulfillment  of  these  ab- 
solute promises  of  God,  in  the  gift  of  his  Son,  to  taste 
death  for  every  man,  procure  a  possible  salvation  for  all 
mankind?  Universalism  is  compelled  to  concede  this,  or 
involve  itself  in  the  absurdity  of  affirminor,  that  God  has 


84  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [_CliAP.    III. 

provided  in  Christ  an  absolu'.e  salvation  for  all  men,  and  at 
the  same  time  denying  that  he  has  made  salvation  possible 
for  all;  or  of  affirming,  that  what  is  absolutely  sure,  is, 
nevertheless,  not  possible  !  It  is,  therefore,  indisputably 
established,  that  God,  in  the  fultillment  of  his  absolute 
promises,  in  the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ,  has  rendered  salvation 
possible  for  all  our  race. 

Universalism,  aware  of  tlie  consequences,  endeavors  to 
escape  them,  by  denying  that  the  absolute  promises  were 
fidfiUed  in  the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  asserting  that  the 
absolute  Divine  promise  is,  the  unconditional  salvation  of 
all  mankind  in  heaven  ;  and  God's  gift  of  Christ,  was  a 
mere  incident  in  the  great  scheme  of  benevolence  towards 
man. 

In  this  it  is  seen  at  once,  that  the  system,  1.  Abandons 
all  atiempt  to  prove,  and  unblushingly  assumes  the  point  in 
dispute.  2.  This  assumption  is  made  in  perfect  disregard 
of  the  Bible,  which  nowhere  contains  a  single  promise, 
that  God  will  unconditionally  save  all  men  in  heaven  ;  but, 
3.  The  assumption  is  made,  not  only  without  the  authority 
of  the  Bible,  but  in  direct  contradiction  of  that  Divine 
word.  "  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,"  John  iii,  16. 

On  this  we  remark,  1.  God  had  absolutely  promised  to 
give  his  Son  to  redeem  the  world.  2.  Christ  has  come 
into  the  world,  bore  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree, 
tasted  death  for  every  man.  3.  In  this,  the  absolute  Di- 
vine promises  have  been  fulfilled,  or  they  have  not.  If 
they  have  not,  then  Christ  must  have  died  for  the  sins  of 
the  world,  either  without  one  absolute  Divine  promise  to 
that  effect,  or  he  has  died  contrary  to  the  promises  of  God ; 
either  of  which  would  not  only  be  absurd,  but  a  presump- 
tuous contradiction  of  all  the  promises  of  God  on  that  sub- 
ject.     It  follows,   therefore,   cnnchisivelv,  that  God,   in  so 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  85 

loving  the  world  as  to  give  his  Son  to  die  for  man,  has  gra- 
ciously fulfilled  the  absolute  promises  to  Abraham ;  and  so 
far  is  that  fulfillment  from  unconditionally  saving  all  men  in 
heaven,  that  while  it  procures  a  possible  salvation  for  all,  and 
offers  eternal  life  to  him  that  believeth,  it  proclaims  that  the 
unbeliever  shall  perish;  which  is,  most  unquestionably 
the  opposite  of  everlasting  life.  Again :  "  Now  I  say  that 
Jesus  Christ  was  a  minister  of  the  circumcision  for  the 
truth  of  God,  to  confirm  (fulfill  the  absolute)  promises  made 
unto  the  fathers,"  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob:  Of  what? 
That  all  men  should  be  unconditionally  saved  in  the  future 
world?  By  no  means.  Let  the  apostle  answer:  "And 
that  the  Gentiles  might  glorify  God  for  his  mercy ;  as  it 
is  written.  For  this  cause  I  will  confess  to  thee  among  the 
Gentiles,  and  sing  unto  thy  name,"  Romans  xv,  8,  9.  If 
there  be  any  doubt  that  the  absolute  promises  were  fulfilled 
in  the  gift  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  following  must  for  ever  set- 
tle the  point:  "  But  God  raised  him  from  the  dead;  and  he 
was  seen  many  days  of  them  which  came  up  with  him 
from  Galilee  to  Jerusalem,  who  are  his  witnesses  unto 
the  people.  And  we  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings,  how 
that  the  promise  which  was  made  unto  the  fathers,  God 
hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  children,  in  that  he 
hath  raised  up  Jesus  again;  as  it  is  also  written  in  the 
second  psalm.  Thou  art  my  Son,  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee,"  Acts  xiii,  30-33.  In  the  light  of  ttiis  testimony, 
also,  which  is  too  plain  to  require  comment,  we  are  brought 
directly  to  the  conclusion,  that  the  fulfillment  of  the  abso- 
lute promises  of  the  Divine  Being,  in  the  gift  of  Jesus 
Christ,  his  death,  resurrection,  and  intercession,  has  pro- 
vided a  possible  salvation  for  all  our  fallen  race ;  and  in  the 
same  light  may  be  seen,  the  revolting  consequences  that 
must  follow  a  denial  of  these  facts  by  Universalism,  or  any 
assumption  it  can  make  to  the  contrary. 

We  pass  now  to  the  second  point;  namely,  that  the  ful- 


86  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

fillment  of  the  Divine  promises  in  Christ,  has  procured  an 
unconditional  salvation  for  all  that  die  in  idiocy  and  infancy. 
As  it  is  presumable  that  Universalism  will  not  controvert 
this,  but  few  remarks  will  be  necessary. 

As  "  by  the  righteousness  of  one  (Christ)  the  free  gift 
came  upon  all  men  unto  justification  of  life,"  Romans  v, 
18;  and  the  Savior  says,  "Suffer  little  children,  and  for- 
bid them  not,  to  come  unto  me :  for  of  such  is  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,"  Matt,  xix,  14.  They  being  thus  justi- 
fied through  Christ,  belonging  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  being  incapable  of  violating  any  moral  law  or  obliga- 
tion, and  dying  in  that  state,  few,  if  any,  will  deny,  and 
especially  Universalism,  that  they  are  unconditionally  saved 
in  heaven. 

To  rescue  the  Holy  Scriptures  from  the  perversions  of 
Universalism,  and  fully  to  prepare  the  way  for  their  har- 
monious testimony  on  the  great  question  of  man's  salvation, 
it  is  necessary  to  establish  one  other  point  in  this  place; 
that  is,  whether  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  the  gift  of  God, 
in  whom  was  fulfilled  "all  things  which  were  written  in 
the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and  in  the  psalms, 
concerning  him,"  Luke  xxiv,  44,  is,  in  any  intelligible  and 
Scriptural  sense,  the  Savior  of  all  men  in  this  world,  with- 
out saving  them,  irrespective  of  faith  or  morals,  uncondi- 
tionally in  the  future  world. 

If  it  were  the  policy  of  Universalism  to  discuss  subjects 
fairly,  and  treat  the  word  of  God  with  that  deference 
that  its  sacredness  demands,  it  would  require  but  litde  time 
to  settle  the  point.  But  as  the  system  denies  the  literal 
account  of  man's  fall  and  depravity,  and  turns  the  whole 
into  an  allegory  or  figure,  and  takes  the  same  liberty  with 
all  other  doctrinal  points  in  the  Bible,  we  will  not  ask  of  it 
the  favor  to  come  over  to  our  ground  for  its  defense,  but 
will  follow,  and  meet  it  on  its  own  ground ;  and  remark, 
whatever  mav  have  bnen  the  constitution  and  nature  of  man, 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  87 

as  he  was  created  by,  and  came  from  the  hand  of  his  Ma- 
ker— vvliich  God  pronounced  to  be  very  good,  but  Univer- 
salism  says,  was  subject  to  death  if  man  had  never  sinned — 
whatever  might  have  been  the  nature  of  the  Divine  prohibi- 
tion in  regard  to  the  interdicted  tree  and  its  fruit — what- 
ever might  have  been  the  moral  character  of  the  violation 
of  that  prohibition  by  man — whatever  may  have  been  the 
nature  and  extent  of  that  death  threatened  against  man,  in 
its  real  and  relative  consequence,  with  regard  to  man,  to 
God  and  the  Divine  government  one  of  two  things  must 
inevitably  follow:  God,  in  perfect  harmony  and  consis- 
tency with  every  perfection  and  attribute  of  his  character, 
and  every  feature  and  perfection  of  the  Divine  administra- 
tion, in  the  entire  and  eternal  absence  of  Jesus  Christ, 
his  incarnation,  sufferings,  death,  resurrection,  ascension, 
and  mediation  on  high,  could  absolutely  have  saved  man 
in  heaven,  or  he  could  not. 

With  the  indulgence  we  have  extended  to  Universalism, 
in  meeting  it  on  its  own  ground,  it  cannot  complain  if  we 
bring  it  to  one  or  the  other  of  the  positions  above  named. 
If  the  system  admits  that  God  could  not,  consistently  with 
his  character  and  government,  save  man  without  the  death 
of  Christ,  the  point  is  conceded,  that  Jesus  Christ,  having 
tasted  death  for  every  man,  is  now  the  Savior  of  all  men  in 
this  world.  If  Universalism  will  not  make  the  admission, 
and  thereby  yield  the  question,  it  has  no  alternative  but  to 
take  the  ground  that  God  could,  consistently  with  his  char- 
acter and  government,  save  man  without  the  death  of  Christ. 
This  must  impeach  the  whole  Divine  character  in  the  entire 
economy  of  human  redemption  and  salvation ;  for,  as  appo- 
sits,  when  the  same  circumstances  and  moral  principles  are 
involved,  can  never  be  reconciled,  it  follows,  that  if  one 
course  of  procedure,  when  the  salvation  of  man  is  the 
object,  was  perfecdy  right  and  consistent  with  the  Divine 
character  and  administration,  a  different  or  contrary  course. 


88  ALSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

when  the  object  is  the  same,  must  be  wrong.  For  example : 
1.  If  it  was  perfectly  consistent  with  infinite  wisdom  for 
God  to  save  man  from  sin  and  its  consequences,  whatever 
those  consequences  may  be,  without  the  death  of  Christ; 
for  him  to  be  delivered  up  to  die  for  the  very  same  object, 
must  be  a  violation  of  infinite  wisdom.  2.  If  it  was  per- 
fectly consistent  with  the  infinite  goodness  of  God  for  him 
to  save  man  without  the  death  of  Christ,  then,  to  save  man 
through,  or  by  his  death,  must  be  a  violation  of  infinite 
goodness.  3.  If  it  was  right,  and  in  perfect  accordance 
with  Divine  justice,  to  save  man  without  Christ's  death,  it 
is  impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion,  that  to  save  man  by 
the  death  of  Jesus  Christ  was  unjust.  Universalism  is, 
therefore,  compelled  either  to  give  up  the  point,  or  impeach 
the  Divine  character  generally,  and  the  infinite  wisdom, 
goodness,  and  justice  of  God  in  particular. 

The  system  may  attempt  to  escape,  by  asserting  that  the 
Divine  Being  may  accomplish  the  same  object  in  difi'erent 
ways,  either  of  which  would  be  alike  consistent  with  his 
character  and  government.  This  is  evading  the  point,  by 
assuming  general  ground  in  relation  to  a  particular  question. 
The  inquiry  is  not,  what  God  may  do  in  general;  but, 
what  can  he  do,  consistently  with  his  immutable  character, 
laws,  and  government  in  this  particular  case— the  salvation 
of  fallen,  sinful  man? 

But  to  admit  the  position,  for  the  sake  of  argument,  is 
the  system  relieved  from  difficulties  thereby  ?  Surely  not. 
For  if  God  may,  with  equal  consistency  of  character  and 
government,  save  man  either  with,  or  without  the  passion 
and  death  of  Jesus  Christ,  what  force  have  all  such  declara- 
tions as  the  following?  "  Behold  what  manner  of  love  the 
Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us,"  1  John  iii,  2.  "  God  so 
loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son"  to 
die  for  us,  John  iii,  16.  And  yet,  according  to  the  assump- 
tion, God  could  as  consistently  save  man  without  this  jrift 


CHAP.    III. J    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  89 

of  his  Son,  as  with  it.  This  charges  the  Deity  with  dis- 
simulation ! 

But  this  is  not  all ;  it  makes  the  Father  not  merely  indif- 
ferent with  regard  to  the  sufferings  of  his  Son — his  sighs, 
his  tearsy  his  bloody  sweat  in  the  garden,  his  dying  groans 
on  the  cross ;  but,  "  It  pleased  the  Lord  to  bruise  him  :  he 
hath  put  him  to  grief,"  to  "  make  his  soul  an  offering  for 
sin,"  Isaiah  liii,  10.  And  all  this,  too,  when  there  was  no 
necessity  for  it:  God  could,  according  to  the  objection, 
have  secured  his  own  glory,  and  the  honor  of  his  govern- 
ment in  the  salvation  of  man  just  as  well  in  some  other 
way,  as  by  the  gift  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  Such  are 
the  revolting  imputations  cast  upon  the  Divine  character  by 
the  unwarrantable  assumptions  of  Universalism  ! 

The  system  may  attempt,  at  one  other  point,  to  avoid 
the  force  of  these  conclusions,  by  denying  that  man  was 
ever  lost;  and  by  affirming  that  the  whole  Divine  system, 
as  revealed  in  the  Bible,  is  only  perfecting  towards  man  the 
work  commenced  in  his  creation.  This  is  more  than  inti- 
mated by  Mr.  Ballou,  in  the  quotations  we  have  already 
given.  This,  however,  so  far  from  relieving,  only  aggra- 
vates the  case  ;  for  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  throughout  the 
Bible  man  is  represented  as  a  sinner:  "  All  we,  like  sheep, 
have  gone  astray,"  Isaiah  liii,  6.  He  is  pronounced  to  be 
guilty  :  God  has  concluded  "all  under  sin,"  "  all  in  unbe- 
lief," Romans  xi,  32;  Gal.  iii,  22.  He  is  called  a  rebel: 
"  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  children,  and  they  have 
rebelled  against  me,"  Isaiah  i,  2.  And  yet  in  all  this,  accord- 
ing to  the  objection,  man  is  only  acting  out  the  inevitable 
results  of  the  constitution  and  nature  received  in  his  crea- 
tion. And  though  he  is  charged  with  being  a  delinquent, 
really,  if  there  be  any  fault,  it  is  not  his,  but  his  Maker's ; 
and  instead  of  saving  man,  God  is  only  completing  his  na- 
ture and  character,  which  were  wholly  incomplete  when 
first  created.     In  all  truth  and  justice,  if  this  be  the  fact, 

8* 


00  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

man  ought  not  to  be  charged  as  a  sinner,  nor  God  sustain 
the  character  of  Benefactor  or  Savior. 

From  all  these  facts  and  consequences,  it  cannot  be  doubt- 
ed that,  unless  Universalism  is  prepared  to  charge  Jehovah 
with  folly,  dissimulation,  injustice,  cruelty,  and  every  evil 
work,  it  is  absolutely  compelled  to  admit  that  God  could 
not,  consistently  with  his  character  and  government,  save 
man  without  the  sacrifice  and  death  of  Jesus  Christ.  Should 
the  system  prefer  meeting  those  consequences,  and  sinking 
under  their  weight,  to  making  the  admission,  we  will,  for 
the  benefit  of  such  as  wish  to  know  the  truth,  present  the 
following  testimony  :  "  Being  justified  freely  by  his  grace, 
through  the  redemption  that  is  in  Christ  Jesus :  whom 
God  hath  set  forth  to  be  a  propitiation,  through  faith  in  his 
blood,  to  declare  his  righteousness  for  the  remission  of  sins 
that  are  past,  through  the  forbearance  of  God.     To  declare, 

1  say,  at  this  time,  his  righteousness :  that  he  (God)  might 
be  just,  and  the  justifier  of  him  which  believeth  in  Jesus," 
Romans  iii,  24-26.  The  inference  is  resistless,  that  God 
could  not  have  been  just,  in  view  of  his  own  infinite  per- 
fections, the  perfections  and  claims  of  his  law,  the  charac- 
ter and  relations  of  man  to  both,  in  justifying  or  saving 
him  without  the  propitiatory  sacrifice  and  atonement  of 
Jesus  Christ.  To  suppose  the  contrary,  is  to  involve  all 
the  absurdities  seen  above,  and  make  the  death  of  Christ 
not  only  unnecessary,  but  unjust  and  cruel.  "  For  it 
pleased  the  Father  that  in  him  should  all  fullness  dwell ; 
and  having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his  cross,  by 
him  to  reconcile  all  things  unto  himself:  by  him,  I  say, 
whether  they  be  things  in  earth,  or  things  in  heaven,"  Col. 
i,  19,  20.  We  are  aware  that  this  Scripture  is  quoted  with 
confidence  in  support  of  the  absolute  reconciliation,  or  sal- 
vation of  all  men  in  heaven.  But  if  it  is  shown,  by  the 
general  testimony  of  the  Bible,  that  the  doctrine  is  false, 
no  one  will  suppose  that  this  text  will  prove  it  to  be  true. 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  91 

And  if  it  cannot  be  tortured  into  ll.e  support  of  the  pecu- 
liarities of  Universalism,  it  is  in  direct  proof,  that  God  was 
justly  unreconciled  to  man  for  his  apostasy  and  rebellion 
as  an  intelligent  moral  subject  of  the  Divine  government; 
and  that  man,  in  his  apostasy  and  consequent  depravity,  was 
unjustly  unreconciled  to  God ;  and  that  God  could  not  be 
reconciled  to  man,  and  that  man  never  could  be  reconciled 
to  God  only  through  the  sacrificial  death  of  Jesus  Christ; 
but  that  Christ  having  made  peace  through  the  blood  of  his 
cross,  has  reconciled  God  to  man  by  so  changing  the  moral 
relation  of  man  (now  a  redeemed  sinner)  to  God  and  the 
divine  law  and  government,  that  he  can  be  just  and  the  jus- 
tifier  of  him  which  believeth  on  Jesus :  and  has  procured 
such  divine  influence  in  his  behalf,  that  man  thereby  may 
become  personally  reconciled  to  God,  or  be  justified  by 
grace,  through  faith,  saved  from  sin  here,  and  in  heaven 
hereafter.  And  as  the  Divine  government  embraces  heaven 
and  earth,  (for  the  angels  desired  to  look  into  these  sublime 
scenes,)  the  death  of  Christ  reconciled  all  things  in  this 
sense,  in  earth  and  heaven,  by  rendering  the  whole  govern- 
ment of  God,  in  heaven  and  earth,  alike  harmonious,  and 
consistent  with  the  Divine  character,  in  extending  justify- 
ing and  saving  grace  to  every  one  that  believeth. 

"  And  for  this  cause  he  is  the  mediator  of  the  New  Tes- 
tament, that  by  means  of  death,  for  the  redemption  of  the 
transgressors  that  were  under  the  first  testament,  they  which 
are  called  might  receive  the  promise  of  eternal  inheritance. 
*  *  *  And  almost  all  things  are  by  the  law  purged  with 
blood;  and  without  shedding  of  blood  is  no  remission," 
Heb.  ix,  15-22.  The  force  of  this  testimony  cannot  be 
evaded;  for  should  it  be  said,  the  necessity  of  shedding 
blood  for  the  remission  of  sins,  had  reference  to  the  sacri- 
fices under  tlie  law,  it  will  not  alter  the  case;  for  all  the 
sacrifices  under  the  law  were  but  the  shadows,  pointing  to 
Christ,  the  glorious  substance,  in  the  shedding  of  whose 


92  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

blood  on  the  cross,  all  those  shadows  had  their  fulfillment. 
Now  if  the  shedding  of  the  blood  of  the  animals  offered  in 
sacrifice  under  the  law,  was  indispensable  to  ceremonial  re- 
mission of  sins,  how  much  more  the  shedding  of  the  blood 
of  the  real  victim,  the  Lamb  of  God,  in  order  to  real  re- 
mission, or  pardon  of  sin.  And  there  was  no  other  being 
in  the  universe  who  could  accomplish  this  work  for  man, 
except  He  in  whom  it  pleased  the  Father  all  fullness  should 
dwell — who  in  the  beginning  was  with  God,  and  in  unorig- 
inated  nature  and  perfections  was  God,  even  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ. 

And  let  it  be  strictly  observed,  that  what  Christ  has  done 
in  the  work  of  man's  redemption,  has  wrought  no  change 
in  the  Divine  mind,  or  the  moral  principles  of  his  govern- 
ment; but  it  is  an  additional  proof  of  the  unchangeableness 
of  both.  And  as,  in  the  entire  absence  of  the  redemption 
of  Christ,  man  was  unholy  in  the  sight  of  the  immutable  and 
holy  Deity,  and  stood  related  to  his  unchanging  moral  law 
and  government,  as  an  unholy  rebel,  justly  condemned  to 
die ;  and  without  a  change,  eitlier  in  God,  his  law,  or  the  re- 
lation of  man  to  both,  God  could  not  be  just  to  save  or  par- 
don him.  But  as  neither  God  nor  his  law  could  change, 
man's  case  was  hopeless,  and  pardon  and  salvation  impos- 
sible without  a  sacrifice  ;  but  thanks  be  to  God,  who  giveth 
us  the  victory  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  Christ  hath 
died,  and  his  death  has  effected  that  change  in  our  relation; 
so  that  man  now  stands  related  to  God  as  a  redeemed  sin- 
ner, fully  within  the  reach  of  salvation,  on  terms  alike  hon- 
orable to  God  and  his  moral  government,  and  merciful  and 
gracious  to  man. 

The  evidence,  therefore,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Savior 
of  all  men  in  this  world,  is  precisely  as  clear  as  the  differ- 
ence is  between  an  absolute  moral  impossibility  and  a  per- 
fect moral  possibility.  And  it  may  be  further  remarked, 
that   this   universal    salvation    in  this   world,   procured  by 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  93 

Jesus  Clirist,  includes  llie  following'  particulars:  First; 
the  personal  salvation  or  justification  of  all  mankind  from 
the  condemnatory  sentence  of  the  violated  law  of  God,  un- 
der which  all  our  race  fell  in  the  transgression  of  Adam. 
"  Therefore,  as  by  the  offense  (or  transgression)  of  one 
(Adam)  judgment  came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation  (to 
death ;)  even  so  by  the  righteousness  (merits)  of  one  (Jesus 
Christ)  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men  unto  justification  of 
life,"  Romans  v,  18. 

It  is,  therefore,  indisputably  clear,  that  every  child  of 
Adam  is  born  into  the  world  in  a  state  of  justification  and 
favor  with  God,  as  has  been  shown;  but  as  God  could  not 
save  or  justify  man  only  through  the  death  of  Christ,  it  is 
plain  to  a  demonstration,  that  Jesus  Christ  is,  in  this  sense, 
the  Savior  of  all  men  in  this  world.  "  For,  therefore,  we 
both  labor  and  suffer  reproach,  because  we  trust  in  the 
living  God,  who  is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  specially  of  those 
that  believe,"  1  Tim.  iv,  10.  We  might  extend  the  proof, 
if  it  were  necessary,  that  every  member  of  Adam's  vast  fam- 
ily, commence  their  being  in  this  world  in  a  justified  state, 
through  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  dying  minors,  are  saved 
in  heaven;  but  living  to  commit  willful  and  personal  sin, 
they  must  be  the  subjects  of  a  personal  and  "special"  sal- 
vation from  sin  in  this  world  by  faith,  as  the  only  terms 
on  which  they  can  be  saved  in  heaven,  as  will  be  shown 
hereafter.  Second;  this  universal  salvation  in  this  world, 
through  Christ,  includes  deliverance,  to  a  greater  or  less 
extent,  from  moral  darkness  ;  as  it  has  already  been  shown, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  through  the  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  true  light,  that  lighteth  every  man  that 
Cometh  into  the  world.  Third ;  as  a  consequence  of  this 
universal  justification  and  deliverance  from  moral  darkness 
in  a  degree,  Christ  has  saved  the  world  from  a  hopeless 
state,  and  inspired  it  with  hope ;  "  for  the  earnest  expecta- 
tion of  the  creature  waitelh  for  the  manifestation  of  the  sons 


94  ABSOLUTE   A\b  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.    [cHAP.    III. 

of  God  ;  for  the  creature  was  made  subject  to  vanity,  not 
willingly,  but  by  reason  ot"  him  who  subjected  the  same  in 
hope  ;  because  the  creature  itself,  also,  sliall  be  delivered 
from  the  bondage  of  corruption,  into  the  glorious  liberty 
of  the  children  of  God,"  Romans  viii,  19-21. 

Again:  "And  1  will  shake  all  nations,  and  the  Desire  of 
all  nations  shall  come,"  Hag.  ii,  7.  We  are  not  unapprised 
of  the  fact,  that  Universalism  resorts  to  the  above  language 
of  Paul  for  support;  but  we  again  remark,  if  the  Bible  con- 
victs the  system  of  ia. posture,  this  text  cannot  prove  it  to 
be  true  Christianity.  That  by  the  creature,  in  the  first 
text,  the  Gentile  world  is  meant,  Universalism  will  not 
deny ;  and  that  by  the  Desire  of  all  nations,  in  the  second, 
Christ  is  meant,  is  equally  clear.  The  doctrine  then  is, 
that  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  merits  of  his  death  for  man's  re- 
demption, and  through  the  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  has 
made  an  impression  on  the  moral  world,  under  which  man 
is  convicted  of  the  insufficiency  of  his  idols,  and  all  his 
superstitions,  to  deliver  him  from  the  bondage  of  corrup- 
tion with  which  the  world  groans;  and  hence  the  "desire 
of  all  nations  "  for  something  more  than  they  now  possess — 
the  "earnest  expectation"  of  deliverance.  And  as  Christ 
has  wrought  the  redemption,  diffused  the  light,  made  the 
impression,  and  prompted  the  hope,  he  is  now  bringing 
many  into  this  liberty  by  the  spread  of  the  Gospel,  which 
proclaims  the  only  terms  on  which  man  may  enjoy  the  dis- 
tinguished liberty  of  the  sons  or  children  of  God.  "  He 
came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  received  him  not.  But  as 
many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power  (the  right 
or  privilege)  to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that 
believed  on  his  name,"  John  i,  11,  12.  Faith,  therefore, 
is  the  condition,  to  every  adult  member  of  our  race  of  ma- 
ture years  and  sound  mind,  of  personal  deliverance  from 
sin  in  this  world,  and  final  salvation  in  the  future  world. 

The  following  points  have  been  established,  it  is  believed, 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AXD  CONDITIOXAL  PROl^IISES.  95 

by  the  authority,  and  in  the  light  of  the  lioly  Scriptures, 
matters  of  fact,  sound  reason,  and  common  sense;  and  that 
the  contrary  of  those  positions  involves  consequences  suffi- 
cient of  themselves  to  destroy  any  scheme  whatever,  claim- 
ing the  name  of  Bible  Christianity  ;  namely, 

I.  That  some  of  the  Divine  promises  are  absolute  ;  and 
some  of  them  are  not  absolute,  but  conditional. 

II.  The  absolute  Divine  promises  are  fulfilled  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  his  incarnation,  death,  resurrection,  as- 
cension to  heaven,  and  mediation  before  the  throne  of  God. 

III.  The  fulfillment  of  the  absolute  promises  in  Christ, 
has  provided,  1.  A  possible  salvation  for  the  whole  human 
family,  including  a  partial  salvation  in  this  world,  and  the 
privilege  of  final  salvation  in  heaven,  on  the  terms  pre- 
scribed in  the  word  of  God.  2.  An  unconditional  salvation 
in  heaven  for  all  who  die  in  the  state  of  minority,  and  of 
course  without  personal  sin  and  transgression.  3.  A  con- 
ditional salvation  from  sin  here,  and  a  final  salvation  in 
heaven  hereafter,  for  all  personal  transgressors  of  the  law 
of  God  ;  and  tenders  it  to  all  such,  on  the  conditions  of  faith 
and  holiness  in  this  life ;  hence, 

IV.  The  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is,  unconditionally,  the  Sa- 
vior of  all  men  in  this  world.  This  universal,  unconditional 
salvation  in  this  world  includes,  1.  Justification  from  the 
condemnation  of  the  law  of  God,  in  which  the  whole  family 
of  man  were  involved  by  the  transgression  of  Adam.  2. 
The  illuminations  and  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
reproves  (or  convinces)  the  world  of  sin,  of  righteousness, 
and  of  judgment.  3.  Hope  of  deliverance  from  the  bon- 
dage of  corruption,  into  the  liberty,  or  Gospel  privileges, 
of  the  children  of  God.  4.  Together  with  all  the  grace, 
providences,  and  combination  of  agencies,  instrumentalities, 
and  influences  brought  into  requisition  by  the  Almighty, 
for  the  restraint,  instruction,  reformation,  and  salvation  of 
mankind  in  this  world. 


96  ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PRO.MISLS.    [ciIAP.    III. 

The  importance  of  disiinguisluiig  between  the  blessings 
and  salvation  which  man  may  be  the  subject  of  uncondi- 
tionally, or  without  the  exercise  of  faith  and  obedience  on 
his  part,  and  the  blessings  and  salvation,  which  are  wholly- 
suspended  on  such  conditions,  has  already  been  named. 
And  with  the  view  of  the  subject  as  it  is  now  before  us, 
the  application  of  the  principle  is  perfectly  easy;  and  we 
can  see  the  harmony,  and  feel  the  force  of  all  that  class  of 
Scriptures,  which  speak  of  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  the 
world.  Such  as,  "  Christ,  the  Savior  of  the  world,"  John 
iv,  42  ;  "  I  came  not  to  judge  the  world,  (now,)  but  to  save 
the  world,"  John  xii,  47  ;  "  The  Father  sent  the  Son  to  be 
the  Savior  of  the  world,"  1  John  iv,  14;  *' The  living 
God,  who  is  the  Savior  of  all  men,  especially  of  those  that 
believe,"  1  Tim.  iv,  10.  In  all  of  which  declarations,  a 
universal  salvation  is  contemplated ;  and  as  has  been  abun- 
dandy  proved,  Christ  is  now,  in  man's  present  state  of 
being,  the  Savior  of  all  men — the  Savior  of  the  world. 
And  on  the  other  hand,  the  whole  human  family  are,  uncon- 
ditionally, the  objects  and  subjects  of  this  universal  salva- 
tion in  this  world.  Christ  having  redeemed  us  with  his 
own  blood,  or  bought  us  off  from  the  claims  of  that  law 
which  made  no  provision  for  pardon  or  salvation ;  and  hav- 
ing placed  man  under  an  administration  of  infinite  grace 
and  mercy,  which  has  made  ample  provision  for  both,  every 
member  of  the  human  family  receives  his  first  existence  in 
this  life,  "saved  by  grace,"  or  in  a  justified  state,  through 
the  infinite  merits  of  the  death  of  Christ.  Consequently, 
the  whole  human  family  are,  unconditionally,  or  without 
faith  and  obedience  on  their  part,  the  subjects  of  this  salva- 
tion in  this  M'orld,  including  justification  in  infancy,  the 
illuminations  of  the  Spirit,  and  all  the  Divine  influences 
named  above,  which  are  designed  for  man's  salvation  and 
happiness  in  this  world,  and  if  improved  by  him,  will  lead 
him  to  salvation  in  heaven.      But  in  all  this  universal  salva- 


CHAP.    III.]    ABSOLUTE  AND  CONDITIONAL  PROMISES.  97 

tion  by  Christ,  (with  the  exception  of  minors  dying  in  that 
state,)  not  a  single  member  of  the  human  family  is  uncon- 
ditionally saved  in  heaven. 

It  has  been  clearly  seen  that  the  promises,  prophecies, 
and  invitations  in  the  Scriptures,  implying  or  expressing 
universal  blessings,  afford  no  possible  support  to  Univer- 
salism ;  and  the  way  is  now  prepared  to  rescue  from  its 
abuses  also,  all  the  absolute  Divine  promises,  together  with 
all  that  class  of  Scriptures  which  recognize  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  a  universal  Savior — the  Savior  of  all  men— of  the 
world ;  the  absolute  promises  being  fulfilled  in  him,  and 
mankind  being  the  beneficiaries  of  this  universal  salvation 
in  this  world  exclusively.  There  is,  therefore,  no  escape 
for  the  system  :  for  should  it  deny  that  the  absolute  prom- 
ises are  fulfilled  in  Jesus  Christ,  it  must  contradict  Christ 
himself,  who  says,  that  in  him  "  is  fulfilled  all  things  which 
were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  and  in  the  prophets,  and 
in  the  psalms  concerning  him,"  and  involve  itself  in  all  the 
absurdities  connected  with  such  denial,  as  already  shown. 

Should  it  deny  that  the  death  of  Christ  has  procured 
justification,  and  the  light  of  the  Spirit  for  man  in  this 
world,  it  must  contradict  the  Holy  Ghost.  Should  it  deny 
that  this  justification,  and  all  these  Divine  influences,  do  in 
any  degree  save  man  in  this  life,  it  must  contradict  the  word 
of  God  in  general  on  these  points,  and  totally  reject  Jesus 
Christ,  with  all  his  benefits  to  man  in  this  world.  The  ad- 
mission of  the  positions  thus  established,  must  seal  the 
destiny  of  the  system  for  death.  The  denial  will  demon- 
strate its  infidelity. 

9 


98  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [CHAP.    IV. 

CHAPTER  IV. 

SALVATION   IN    HEAVEN    CONDITIONAL. 

Salvation  in  Heaven  Conditional — The  System  has  to  Apply  all  the 
Threatenings  of  the  Word  of  God  against  Sinners,  and  the  Salvation 
promised  to  Believers,  to  Man  in  this  Life — The  Salvation  promised 
in  the  Gospel  cannot  be  fully  Enjoyed  in  this  Life — God  either  forbids 
Faith  and  Obedience,  or  is  indifferent  to  Faith  and  Obedience,  or 
requires  Faith  and  Obedience,  as  a  Condition  of  Final  Salvation  in 
Heaven — Points  Estabhshed  in  this  Chapter. 

With  the  fact  established,  that  the  merits  and  mediation 
of  Jesus  Christ  have  procured  a  possible  salvation  for  all 
men,  and  an  absolute  salvation  for  all  who  die  without  per- 
sonal transgression  and  sin,  the  way  is  fully  prepared  for 
an  examination  of  the  third  particular;  namely,  the  condi- 
tional salvation  provided  for,  and  offered  to,  all  men  (always 
excepting  infants  or  minors)  through  faith ;  and  that  a  com- 
pliance with  the  conditions,  and  the  acceptance  of  salvation 
from  sin  in  this  life,  is  the  only  possible  means  of  his  final 
salvation  in  heaven.  This  position  alone,  if  fully  estab- 
lished, must  be  a  standing  refutation  of  Universalism. 

That  the  subject  may  be  fully  understood,  it  must  not  be 
forgotten,  that  Universalism  applies  the  following,  and  all 
similar  language  of  the  Bible  to  man  in  this  life  exclusively. 
"  He  that  believeth  *  *  *  shall  be  saved;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  shall  be  damned,"  Mark  xvi,  16.  "  He  that 
believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life :  and  he  that  be- 
lieveth not  the  Son  shall  not  see  life ;  but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him,"  John  iii,  36.  "  He  that  believeth  on  the 
Son  of  God  hath  the  witness  in  himself;  he  that  believeth 
not  God,  hath  made  him  a  liar :  because  he  believeth  not 
the  record  that  God  gave  of  his  Son.  And  this  is  the  re- 
cord, that  God  hath  given  to  us  eternal  life,  and  this  life  is 
in  his  Son.  He  that  hath  the  Son,  hath  life ;  and  he  that 
hath  not  the  Son  of  God,  hnth  not  life."    1  John  v.  10-12 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  99 

*'  For  therein  is  the  righteousness  of  God  revealed  from 
faith  to  faith:  as  it  is  written,  the  just  shall  live  by  faith. 
For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against  all 
ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold  the 
truth  in  unrighteousness,"  Romans  i,  17,  18.  "  But  after 
thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest  up  unto  thyself 
wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath,  and  revelation  of  the  right- 
eous judgment  of  God;  who  will  render  to  every  man  ac- 
cording to  his  deeds  :  to  them  who,  by  patient  continuance 
in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality : 
eternal  life ;  but  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not 
obey  the  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness :  indignation  and 
wrath,  tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that 
doeth  evil,  of  the  Jew  first,  and  also  of  the  Gentile,"  Ro- 
mans ii,  5-9.  "For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death;  but  the 
gift  of  God  is  eternal  life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord," 
Romans  vi,  23.  "But  every  man  is  tempted,  when  he  is 
drawn  away  of  his  own  lust,  and  enticed.  Then  when  lust 
hath  conceived,  it  bringeth  forth  sin ;  and  sin,  when  it  is 
finished  bringeth  forth  death,"  James  i,  14,  15.  "  But 
there  were  false  prophets  also  among  the  people,  even  as 
there  shall  be  false  teachers  among  you,  who  privily  shall 
bring  in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that 
bought  them,  and  bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruction. 
And  many  shall  follow  their  pernicious  ways ;  by  reason 
of  whom  the  way  of  truth  shall  be  evil  spoken  of.  And 
through  covetousness  shall  they  with  feigned  words  make 
mercliandise  of  you:  whose  judgment  now  of  a  long  time 
lingereth  not,  and  their  damnation  slumbereth  not.  *  *  * 
The  Lord  knoweth  how  to  deliver  the  godly  out  of  tempta- 
tion, and  to  reserve  the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to 
be  punished,"  2  Peter  ii,  1-9. 

According  to  the  system,  this,  and  the  entire  language 
of  the  Bible,  bearing  on  the  moral  character  and  condition 
of  man — his  faith  and  unbelief,  his  obedience  and  rebellion, 


100  COXDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

his  depravity  and  holiness,  his  happiness  and  misery,  his 
life  and  death,  his  salvation  and  damnation,  have  no  relation 
to,  or  connection  with,  his  final  salvation  in  heaven.  And 
the  whole  scene  of  punishment,  suffering,  and  salvation,  is 
confined  to  this  world,  during  the  life-time  of  those  who 
are  the  subjects  thereof. 

That  this  extraordinary  feature  of  Universalism  will  sur- 
prise many,  and  even  some  of  its  own  votaries,  who  are 
but  partially  acquainted  with  its  peculiarities,  is  highly  pro- 
bable ;  but  that  it  is  a  fair  and  impartial  statement  of  the 
case,  is  susceptible  of  the  clearest  demonstration.  For  ex- 
ample: "  He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned" — "  shall 
not  see  life" — "hath  not  life" — "but  the  wrath  of  God 
abideth  on  him" — "the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  against 
him" — "he  treasureth  up  unto  himself  wrath  against  the 
day  of  wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of 
God  " — "  indignation  "— "  wrath"-—"  tribulation  and  an- 
guish'— "  sin  when  it  is  finished  bringeth  forth  death" — 
"for  the  wages  of  sin  is  death" — "bring  upon  themselves 
swift  destruction" — "whose judgment  *  *  *  lingereth 
not,  and  their  damnation  slumbereth  not," — "  and  to  re- 
serve the  unjust  unto  the  day  of  judgment  to  be  punished." 

This  solemn  language  of  the  Lord  must  necessarily  ap- 
ply to  man  in  this  world,  the  future  world,  or  both.  Should 
Universalism  admit  that  it  applies  to  man  in  the  future 
world,  the  very  admission  would  be  an  entire  refutation  of 
the  whole  system ;  for  if  men  must  meet  their  God  in  judg- 
ment in  the  future  world — be  condemned,  the  wrath  and 
indignation  of  God  fall  upon  them  there — be  denied  the 
blessing  of  eternal  life,  the  life  of  holiness  and  glory— this 
cannot  be  salvation,  and  consequently  Universalism  must 
be  utterly  false. 

And  to  allow  that  this  language  applies  to  men,  both  in 
this,  and  the  future  world,  does  not  alter  the  case,  change 
the  conclusion,  or  relieve  the  system ;  for  if  the  above  Ian- 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  lOt 

guage  is  a  description  of  men's  case  in  relation  to  the  fu- 
ture, either  in  whole  or  in  part,  it  must  for  ever  demonstrate 
the  contrary  of  Universalism  ;  so  that  there  is  no  alterna- 
tive but  for  the  system  to  confine  this,  and  all  correspondent 
language  of  the  Bible,  to  men  in  this  life.  The  system,  to 
save  itself,  having  to  confine  all  the  consequences  of  unbe- 
lief and  sin,  the  judgments,  condemnation,  wrath,  and  pun- 
ishments of  God  upon  the  sinner,  to  this  world,  is  compel- 
led to  confine  all  the  consequences  of  faith,  repentance, 
salvation,  and  holiness  of  the  pious,  to  this  world  also ;  as 
having  no  more  reference  to,  or  connection  with,  their  final 
salvation  in  heaven,  than  the  unbelief  and  unholiness  of 
sinners  have  to  their  endless  punishment  in  hell — a  state 
and  place,  according  to  Universalism,  that  never  had  a  being. 
The  following  declarations,  therefore,  all  have  direct  refer- 
ence to  a  salvation  in  this  world  :  "  He  that  believeth  *  * 
shall  be  saved  " — "  hath  everlasting  life  " — "  hath  the  wit- 
ness in  himself" — "hath  life" — "glory,  and  honor,  and 
immortality  " — "  eternal  life."  These,  it  will  be  recollected 
by  all  who  are  acquainted  with  the  Holy  Scriptures,  are  but 
a  very  small  portion  thereof,  to  the  same  eff'ect,  and  bearing 
on  the  same  point.  That  Universalism  has  to  confine  all 
this  salvation  to  this  world,  will  appear  from  the  following: 
1.  The  salvation  contemplated  in  this  language  of  the  Bible 
must  be  sought  for  by  man,  and  is  the  result  of  his  reforma- 
tion, faith,  and  obedience  to  God.  This  cannot  be  denied 
without  contradicting,  as  the  quotations  given  hereafter  will 
show,  the  whole  testimony  of  the  Scriptures  bearing  on 
this  point ;  as  also,  the  experience  and  common  sense  of 
every  man  living  on  earth.  For,  who  has  been  saved,  jus- 
tified from  the  guilt  of  sin,  had  peace  with  God,  the  wit- 
ness in  himself,  the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  his  heart 
by  the  Holy  Spirit  given  unto  him,  without  seeking  God — 
without  obedience  and  faith  ?  Not  one.  And  who  that  has 
thus  sought  the  Lord  by  obedient  faith,  that  has  not  obtain- 
9^ 


102  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [ciIAP.    IV. 

ed  these  blessings  ?  None.  And  who  that  has  refused 
thus  to  seek  the  Lord  by  faith  and  humble  obedience,  has 
obtained  this  salvation.     No  one  of  our  race. 

2.  This  salvation  by  grace,  through  faith,  is  absolutely 
necessary,  in  this  life,  to  final  salvation  in  heaven,  or  it  is 
not.  If  Universalism  admits  that  it  is,  it  thereby  concedes 
the  whole  question,  and  the  concession  must  be  the  inevita- 
ble ruin  of  the  whole  system ;  for  all  who  are  not  thus 
saved  by  faith  here,  cannot  possibly  be  saved  hereafter  in 
heaven.  And  if,  to  avoid  these  consequences,  it  denies  that 
this  salvation  by  faith  is  necessar)^  it  must  maintain  that 
neither  repentance,  faith,  holiness,  love  to  God,  or  any  other 
virtue  or  grace  whatever,  is  necessary,  in  this  life,  in  order 
to  final  holiness  and  happiness  after  death;  and  that  men' 
are  no  more  sure  of  heaven  with  all  the  faith  they  can  ex- 
ercise, and  all  the  obedience  they  can  render  to  God,  than 
they  are  if  wholly  destitute  of  all  these  moral  qualities  ; 
and  that  God  never  designed  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel  to 
have  any  bearing  on,  or  connection  with,  man's  final  salva- 
tion in  heaven  ;  and  of  course,  the  whole  is  confined  exclu- 
sively to  this  world. 

To  make  this  still  more  clear,  if  it  be  possible  that  any 
can  yet  doubt :  If  the  system  allows  of  any  kind  of  neces- 
sity for  faith,  obedience,  and  holiness  in  man  here,  in  order 
to  salvation  hereafter,  it  must  involve  the  following  contra- 
dictions and  absurdities.  That  is,  unbelief  cannot  possibly 
prevent  man's  final  salvation  in  heaven,  yet  faith  is  neces- 
sary to  secure  that  salvation.  Disobedience  to,  and  rebel- 
lion against  God,  cannot  in  any  way  endanger,  or  prevent 
his  salvation  in  the  future  world ;  yet  faithfulness,  and  obe- 
dience to  him  in  this  world,  are  necessary  to  secure  salva- 
tion and  happiness  in  the  future  world.  As  these  contra- 
dictions are  perfectly  irreconcilable,  Universalism  has  no 
way  of  escape  from  them,  other  than  to  confine  the  con- 
demnation and  salvation  of  the  Gospel  both  to  this  world. 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIO.NAL    SALVATION.  103 

and  iliereby  assume  the  responsibility  of  pronouncing  the 
whole  Divine  revelation  utterly  useless,  as  it  regards  man's 
final  salvation  in  heaven,  and  that  man  is  as  absolutely  sure 
of  that  blessing  without,  as  he  is  with  the  Bible ;  or  if  he 
have  it,  in  totally  disbelieving  and  disobeying  it,  as  he  is  in 
believing  its  doctrines  with  the  strongest  faith,  and  obeying 
its  precepts  with  the  most  ardent  zeal.  But  this  is  not  all. 
Universalism  is  found  sustaining  this  remarkable  attitude  to 
the  Holy  Scriptures :  It  goes,  with  professed  confidence, 
to  them  to  prove  the  final  salvation  of  men  in  heaven,  after 
having  rejected  the  strongest  and  clearest  language  in  the  Bi- 
ble as  having  no  reference  to,  or  connection  with  such  salva- 
tion ;  such  as,  saved  with  everlasting  life — saved  with  glory, 
honor,  immortality — eternal  life  ;  and  quotes  such  as  these : 
God's  promise  to  bless  all  nations — Christ  is  the  Savior  of 
all  men,  <fcc.;  without  one  word  in  the  text,  or  context,  of 
salvation  in  heaven  :  being  saved  with  everlasting  life — im- 
mortal life — eternal  life.  And  this  is  the  more  fatal  to  the 
system,  as  it  has  been  clearly  proved,  that  God  has  blessed 
all  mankind  in  Chnst,  without  that  blessing  alone  saving 
any  one,  and  that  Christ  is  the  Savior  of  all  men  in  this  (j 
\vorld.  All  these  consequences,  absurd,  unscriptural,  and 
revolting  to  sober  reason  as  they  may  be,  are  the  result  of 
denying  a  conditional  salvation  by  faith  and  holiness  in  this 
life,  as  the  only  means  of  obtaining  final  salvation  and  glory 
in  the  future  world  of  endless  bliss.  The  fact  that  the  con- 
trary of  this  doctrine  involves  such  consequences,  is  strong 
presumptive  proof  of  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  itself. 

But  let  us  now  see  whether  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel, 
which  is  offered  to  man  alone  on  conditions  of  faith  and 
obedience,  and  which  is  withheld  from  the  unbelieving  and 
disobedient,  does  not  imply,  and  include  blessings,  which 
are  not,  and  cannot  be  fully  enjoyed  in  this  life,  and  of  ne- 
cessity belong  to  the  future  and  heavenly  world. 

It  is  only  necessary  for  our  present  purpose,  to  adduce  a 


li 

If 


104  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

few  Scriptures,  and  refer  to  some  of  the  leading  features  of 
this  great  salvation  promised  in  the  Gospel,  in  order  to  have 
this  part  of  the  subject  before  us  in  its  proper  light.  "  Bles- 
sed are  ye  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you, 
and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you  falsely  for  my 
sake.  Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad;  for  great  is  your 
reward  in  heaven :  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets 
which  were  before  you,"  Matt,  v,  11,  12.  "  Lay  not  up 
for  yourselves  treasures  upon  earth,  where  moth  and  rust 
doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  break  through  and  steal : 
but  lay  up  for  yourselves  treasures  in  heaven,  where  neither 
moth  nor  rust  doth  corrupt,  and  where  thieves  do  not  break 
through  nor  steal.  For  where  your  treasure  is,  there  will 
your  heart  be  also,"  Matt,  vi,  19,  20.  "Labor  not  for  the 
meat  which  perisheth,  but  for  that  meat  which  endureth 
unto  everlasting  life,  which  the  Son  of  man  shall  give  unto 
you:  for  him  hath  God  the  Father  sealed,"  John  vi,  27. 
"  My  sheep  hear  my  voice,  and  I  know  them,  and  they 
follow  me:  and  I  give  unto  them  eternal  life;  and  they 
shall  never  perish,  neither  shall  any  pluck  them  out  of  my 
hand,"  John  X,  27,  28.  "To  them  who,  by  patient  con- 
tinuance in  well  doing,  seek  for  glory,  and  honor,  and  im- 
mortality ;  eternal  life,"  Romans  ii,  7.  "  Reward  in  heav- 
en"— "  treasures  in  heaven" — "meat  (or  blessings)  which 
endureth  unto  everlasting  life  " — "  I  give  unto  them  eternal 
life" — "glory,  and  honor,  and  immortality;  eternal  life." 
This  is  some  of  the  language  in  which  the  blessing  is  ex- 
pressed, and  those  are  a  few  of  the  features  of  that  blessing 
of  salvation  as  promised  in  the  Scriptures.  And  as  the  Sa- 
vior, in  all  his  divine  teaching  on  the  subject,  connects  ever- 
lasting life,  eternal  life,  with,  or  indeed  makes  it  the  con- 
summation of,  the  Gospel  blessing,  a  correct  view  of  that 
life  will  gready  assist  in  understanding  the  case  under  con- 
sideration. 

Life,  in  its  lowest  and  common  signification,  means  na- 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  105 

tural  and  temporal  life,  in  opposition  to  natural  and  tempo- 
ral death.  This  is  too  plain  to  require,  or  even  to  admit  of 
proof.  In  a  second,  and  higher  sense,  it  signifies  morally, 
spiritual  life,  in  opposition  to  moral,  spiritual  death.  "  For 
to  be  carnally  minded  is  death  ;  but  to  be  spiritually  minded 
is  life  and  peace.  *  *  *  For  if  ye  live  after  the  flesh, 
ye  shall  die :  but  if  ye,  through  the  Spirit,  do  mortify  the 
deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live,"  Romans  viii,  6-13. 
This  spiritual  life  implies  communion  and  fellowship  with 
God.  "  And  truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and 
with  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,"  1  John  i,  3.  The  witness  of 
our  acceptance  with  God.  "  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  wit- 
ness with  our  spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,"  Ro- 
mans viii,  16.  The  love  of  God  in  the  heart.  "  The  love 
of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts  by  the  Holy  Ghost 
which  is  given  unto  us,"  Romans  v,  5.  Holiness  of  heart 
and  life.  "  For  God  hath  not  called  us  unto  uncleanness, 
but  unto  holiness,"  1  Thess.  iv,  7.  "  But  as  he  which  hath 
called  you  is  holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conver- 
sation ;  because  it  is  written,  Be  ye  holy  ;  for  I  am  holy," 
1  Peter  i,  15,  16.  And,  "Follow  peace  with  all  men,  and 
holiness,  without  which  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  Heb. 
xii,  14.  Everlasting,  or  eternal  life,  which  is  life  in  the 
highest  sense,  must  signify  the  perpetuation,  or  endless 
continuance  in  heaven,  of  that  spiritual  life  of  love  and  ho- 
liness, which  is  commenced  in  this  world. 

That  the  above  is  the  only  intelligible  and  Scriptural 
view  that  the  subject  admits  of,  will  appear  beyond  a  doubt, 
to  any  who  will  just  suppose  the  contrary,  and  mark  the 
consequences  which  must  inevitably  follow.  For  exam- 
ple :  if  natural  life  is  not  the  opposite  of  natural  death,  men 
may  be  naturally  and  literally  dead  and  alive  at  the  same 
time !  Again,  if  moral  spiritual  life  is  not  the  opposite  of 
moral  spiritual  death,  the  same  consequences  follow— men 
may  be  the  subjects  of  spiritual  life,  through  the  renewing 


106  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  LCHAP.    IV. 

and  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  at  the 
same  time  dead  in  trespasses  and  sin,  under  the  influence 
of  the  carnal  mind.  Absolute  impossibilities !  But,  fur- 
thermore, if  everlasting  life,  or  eternal  life,  does  not  imply 
the  endless  continuance  in  heaven  of  that  spiritual  life  of 
holiness  and  love,  men  may  be  the  subjects  of  eternal  life, 
and  yet  be  wholly  destitute  of  such  endless  spiritual  life, 
and  of  course  the  subjects  of  spiritual  moral  death. 

These  contradictions  and  impossibilities  cannot  be  avoid- 
ed, only  by  admitting  the  correctness  of  the  above  view, 
that  everlasting  life — the  great  blessing  promised  to  man  in 
the  word  of  God,  and  which  is  commenced  in  the  heart  in 
this  world  by  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Ghost — extends 
to,  and  is  only  consummated  in  heaven. 

If  Universalism  admits  this,  it  concedes  the  point,  that 
the  salvation  of  the  Gospel  includes  blessings,  which  are 
not,  and  cannot,  be  fully  enjoyed  in  this  world,  and  that 
necessarily  belong  to  the  future  world.  If  it  denies  this, 
which  it  must  do,  and  which  is  its  true  position  on  the  sub- 
ject, and  sustains  itself  on  that  ground,  it  will  not  only  not 
prove  universal  salvation  thereby,  but  will  prove  either  uni- 
versal condemnation,  or  universal  annihilation.  For  if  spir- 
itual life  implies  the  renewing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  (as  we 
have  seen  that  it  does,)  holiness  of  heart  and  life,  commu- 
nion and  fellowship  with  the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  and  eter- 
nal life  implies  the  endless  continuance  in  heaven  of  this 
communion  with  God  ;  and  yet  as  eternal,  or  everlasting  life, 
is  confined  exclusively  to  this  world,  and  cannot  extend  into 
the  future,  it  is  impossible  to  avoid  the  conclusion,  that 
man  in  the  future  world  must  be  destitute  of  everlasting 
life;  that  is,  spiritual  life  and  communion  with  God.  And 
as  life  is  always  the  opposite  of  death,  whether  temporal  or 
spiritual,  if  man  reaches  heaven  at  all,  it  must  be  without 
everlasting  life;  and  if  so,  he  must  be  spiritually  the  sub- 
ject of  everlasting  death,  danmation,  or  annihilation  !    Uni- 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  107 

versalism,  however,  is  not  alarmed  at  the  consequences  of 
annihilation;  for  it  will  be  seen  in  another  place,  that  it 
really  denies  the  immortality  of  the  soul. 

Leaving  the  candid,  for  the  present,  to  reflect  on  the  re- 
volting consequences  of  confining  the  Gospel  salvation  of 
everlasting  life  to  this  world  alone,  we  will  examine  more 
particularly  the  testimony  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  on  the 
point.  In  his  memorable  sermon  on  the  mount,  as  we  have 
seen,  the  Savior  encourages  his  disciples  patiently  to  en- 
dure persecutions,  which  might  continue  through  life,  and 
in  many  instances  terminate  in  their  death,  and  that  they 
should  "rejoice  and  be  exceeding  glad."  Wherefore? 
Because  they  were  in  the  full  possession  and  enjoyment  of 
everlasting  life ?  Surely  not;  but  because  "great  is  your 
reward  in  heaven."  The  same  principle  is  established 
when  he  instructs  us  to  lay  up  for  ourselves  treasures  in 
heaven.  "But  now,  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become 
servants  to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the 
end  everlasting  life,"  Romans  vi,  22.  Language  cannot  be 
plainer  than  this  is,  in  support  of  the  doctrine,  that  the  bles- 
sing of  everlasting  life  extends  into  the  future  and  endless 
world.  1.  Those  contemplated  by  the  apostle  are  made  free 
from  sin ;  the  highest  degree  of  salvation  in  this  life.  2. 
Have  become  servants  to  God ;  which  implies,  in  this  case, 
all  practical  godliness.  3.  As  a  blessed  consequence,  they 
have  their  fruit  unto  holiness ;  that  is,  all  their  tempers  of 
mind,  and  actions  of  life,  are  consistent  with  Gospel  holi- 
ness ;  but,  4.  So  far  is  all  this  from  being  full  salvation, 
that  they  wait  in  joyful  hope  for  the  end — everlasting  hfe. 
It  is,  therefore,  clear  beyond  all  successful  contradiction, 
that  the  apostle  believed  and  taught,  that  the  full  enjoyment 
of  the  promised  blessing  of  everlasting  life,  belongs  alone 
to  the  future  world ;  and  there  the  saints  will  enjoy  it  in 
endless  perfection.  "For  1  am  now  ready  to  be  offered, 
and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at  hand.     I  have  fought  a 


108  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [ciIAP.    IV. 

good  fight,  I  have  finished  iny  course,  I  liave  kept  the  faith: 
henceforth  there  is  laid  up  forme  a  crown  of  righteousness, 
which  the  Lord,  the  righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that 
day :  and  not  to  me  only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love 
his  appearing,"  2  Tim.  iv,  6-8.  As  well  might  you 
attempt  to  illuminate  the  noon-day  sun  with  a  taper,  as  to 
render  this  almost  dying  declaration  of  the  apostle  more 
clear  in  proof  of  the  doctrine  under  consideration.  "  Bles- 
sed be  the  God  and  Father  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
which,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy,  hath  begotten  us 
again  unto  a  lively  hope,  by  the  resurrection  of  Jesus  Christ 
from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled, 
and  that  fadeth  not  away,  reserved  in  heaven  for  you,  who 
are  kept  by  the  power  of  God  through  faith  unto  salvation, 
ready  to  be  revealed  in  the  last  time,"  1  Peter  i,  3-5.  No 
testimony  can  more  fully  refute  the  error  of  Universalism, 
that  the  pious  have  their  reward  in  this  life,  and  that,  in 
reference  to  their  final  salvation,  there  is  no  difference  be- 
tween the  pious  and  profane,  than  this  of  the  apostle  Peter. 
Again  :  *' Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  temptation:  for 
when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which 
the  Lord  hath  promised  to  tliem  that  love  him,"  James  i, 
12.  And  that  this  reward,  the  crown  of  life,  refers  to  the 
future  and  heavenly  world,  is  placed  beyond  a  doubt  by  the 
Savior.  "  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death,  and  I  will  give  thee 
a  crown  of  life,"  Rev.  ii,   10. 

It  would  be  easy  to  extend  the  proof  to  great  length,  that 
the  promised  blessing  of  everlasting  life,  in  its  full  and  final 
enjoyment  belongs,  necessarily,  to  the  future  world.  And 
just  so  far  as  this  doctrine  stands  clearly  proved  by  this 
high,  this  Divine  anthority,  precisely  in  the  same  propor- 
tion does  the  authority  demonstrate  the  erroneousness  of 
Universalism. 

The  only  remaining  question  to  be  settled  under  this 
head   is,   has  the   TiOrd  Jesus   Cjirist  prom i sod   these  hie."- 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  109 

sings — the  incorruptible  inheritance — the  crown  of  right- 
eousness— the  crown  of  life — of  glory — everlasting — eter- 
nal life;  all  of  which,  as  we  have  seen,  necessarily  belong 
to  the  heavenly  state,  on  the  conditions  of  faith  and  holi- 
ness alone  ;  or  to  the  whole  human  family  indiscriminately, 
and  irrespective  of  any  moral  quality  or  character  in  man 
whatever  in  this  world.  The  latter  is  the  position  that  Uni- 
versalism  takes  on  this  question,  as  has  been  already 
shown ;  and  indeed  there  is  no  other  ground  it  can  possibly 
occupy  for  a  moment.  For  let  Universalism  grant  that 
eternal  life  in  heaven,  the  rewards  of  grace,  the  honors  and 
distinctions  of  glory,  which  cannot  be  received  and  enjoyed 
in  this  world,  and  which  constitute  man's  final  salvation  and 
happiness  in  heaven,  are  promised  to  man  a/one  on  condition 
of  faith — faith  that  works  by  love  and  purifies  the  heart — 
faith  that  overcomes  the  world — faith  which  implies  all 
Gospel  obedience  and  holiness;  that  faith,  obedience,  and 
holiness  practically  continued  in  till  death,  and  without 
which  conditions  being  complied  with  by  man,  God  can  no 
more  bestow  the  final  blessing  on  the  disobedient  and  unbe- 
lieving, than  he  can  withhold  it  from  the  obedient  and  holy; 
then  the  evidence,  even  demonstrations  against  Universal- 
ism, thicken  and  multiply  around  it,  just  in  proportion  as 
men  reject  those  conditions  on  which  God  offers  them  final 
salvation,  and  die  impenitent,  unreformed,  and  unholy. 
And  how  vast  the  cloud !  melancholy  cloud  of  witnesses 
against  the  system  !  And  it  is  much  to  be  feared  that  many 
of  its  own  votaries  will  swell  the  number. 

To  settle  this  point  with  a  clearness  bearing  some  pro- 
portion to  the  great  interest  of  man  involved  therein,  we  re- 
mark, 1.  In  relation  to  our  personal  and  final  salvation,  God 
has  absolutely  forbidden  our  faith  and  obedience  as  a  condi- 
tion thereof;  or,  2.  He  is  absolutely  indifi*erent  with  regard 
to  our  faith  and  obedience,  as  a  condition  of  our  final  salva- 
tion in  heaven ;  or,  3.  He  does  absolutely  require  our  faith 
10 


110  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

and  obedience,  as  a  condition  of  our  final  salvation  in 
heaven ;  and  without  which  it  is  impossible  for  him,  con- 
sistendy  with  his  moral  government  and  veracity,  to  save 
man  in  endless  glory. 

This  is,  most  unquestionably,  a  full  and  fair  statement  of 
the  case  now  under  investigation,  and  to  which  none  can 
reasonably  object.  And  we  are  surely  safe  in  presuming, 
that  none  who  profess  Christianity,  and  revere  either  the 
Divine  Being,  or  his  holy  word,  will  affirm  that  he  has  for- 
bidden our  faith  and  obedience  as  a  condition  of  our  salva- 
tion, either  in  this  or  the  future  world.  Such  an  affirmation 
would  not  only  be  without  the  authority  of  the  Scriptures, 
but  in  open  opposition  thereto ;  and  in  effect,  would  be  a 
renunciation  of  the  Bible  and  Christianity  together.  And 
if  God  has  not  forbidden  faith  and  obedience,  the  subject  is 
brought  down  to  two  points :  he  is  either  indifferent  to,  or 
absolutely  requires  them,  in  order  to  our  final  salvation. 

If  Universalism  cannot  affirm  that  God  has  forbidden 
our  faith,  as  a  condition  of  final  salvation,  without  renoun- 
cing the  Bible  and  Christianity,  it  cannot  possibly  admit 
that  he  requires  faith  as  a  condition  of  final  salvation,  with- 
out utterly  renouncing  itself;  consequently,  there  is  but 
one  point  it  can  occupy,  namely,  the  absolute  indifference 
of  the  Deity  on  the  subject.  We  are  fully  aware,  that  it 
is  treating  Universalism  with  a  respect  it  does  not  deserve, 
to  attempt  gravely  to  refute  this  position  that  it  is  compelled 
to  take ;  but  knowing  that  even  its  absurdities,  if  not  met 
on  its  own  ground  and  exposed,  are  claimed  as  incontrovert- 
ible proofs  of  the  truth  of  the  system,  we  follow  and  meet 
it  even  here,  on  the  ground  that  God  is  absolutely  indiffer- 
ent with  regard  to  our  faith  and  obedience,  in  order  to  final 
salvation. 

As  indifference  implies  an  equipoise,  or  neutrality  of 
mind,  between  different  persons  or  things,  a  state  in  which 
the  mind  is  not  inclined  to  one  side  more  than  the  other,  it 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  Ill 

follows,  according  to  the  position  under  examination,  that 
God  is  perfectly  neutral  in  regard  to  our  faith  or  unbelief, 
on  the  subject  of  our  final  salvation  in  heaven.  And  as  the 
Scriptures  are  the  only  infallible  rule  of  decision  in  the 
case,  it  may  in  all  reason  be  expected,  that  they  will  be 
either  perfectly  silent  on  the  subject,  indicating  thereby  the 
absolute  indifference  of  the  Deity,  or  if  the  matter  is  men- 
tioned at  all,  there  will  be  as  much  said  in  favor  of  unbelief 
as  of  faith ;  or  on  the  other  hand,  as  much  said  in  opposi- 
tion to  faith  as  there  is  to  unbelief.  That  the  indifference 
of  the  Almighty  on  the  subject  is  found  in  his  silence,  is 
contradicted  by  almost  every  page  of  the  sacred  record. 
And  the  following  quotations  will  show,  that  so  far  from 
faith  and  unbelief  being  placed  on  the  same  ground,  the 
former  is  always  approved,  and  the  latter  condemned ; 
which  fact  proves,  to  a  demonstration,  that  God  is  not  indif- 
ferent on  the  point.  "  And  as  Moses  lifted  up  the  serpent 
in  the  wilderness,  even  so  must  the  Son  of  man  be  lifted 
up  :  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but 
have  eternal  life.  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  *  *  *  He 
that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned  ;  but  he  that  believ- 
eth not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not  believed 
in  the  name  of  the  only  begotten  Son  of  God.  *  *  * 
He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  hath  everlasting  life :  and  he 
that  believeth  not  the  Son,  shall  not  see  life  ;  but  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him,"  John  iii,  14-16,  18-36.  "Ver- 
ily, verily,  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  heareth  my  words,  and 
believeth  on  him  that  sent  me,  hath  everlasting  life,  and 
shall  not  come  into  condemnation :  but  is  passed  from  death 
unto  life,"  John  v,  24.  "  Then  said  they  unto  him.  What 
shall  we  do,  that  we  may  work  the  works  of  God  ?  Jesus 
answered  and  said  unto  them.  This  is  the  work  of  God, 
that  ye  believe  on  him  whom  he  hath  sent.    *     *     *    And 


112  CONDlTlOxNAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

this  is  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  that  every  one  which 
seeth  the  Son,  and  believeth  on  him,  may  have  everlasting 
life  ;  and  I  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day,"  John  vi, 
28-40.  "  Therefore,  being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  by  whom 
also  we  have  access  by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we 
stand,  and  rejoice  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,"  Romans 
V,  1,  2.  "I  am  crucified  with  Christ :  nevertheless,  I  live  ; 
yet  not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  ;  and  the  life  which  I  now 
live  in  the  flesh  I  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  who 
loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me,"  Gal.  ii,  20.  "But 
without  faith,  it  is  impossible  to  please  God,"  Heb.  xi,  6. 
This  definite  language,  with  which  the  word  of  God 
abounds,  and  which  gives  such  prominence  to  faith,  that 
"  whosoever  believeth  is  not  condemned" — "shall  not  per- 
ish " — "  is  passed  from  death  unto  life  " — "  has  peace  with 
God" — "  access  into  his  grace" — "  rejoices  in  hope  of  the 
glory  of  God" — "is  crucified  to  the  world" — "Christ 
lives  in  him  "■ — "  Christ  will  raise  him  up  at  the  last  day  " — 
"and  he  shall  have  everlasting,  eternal  life;"  and  which 
in  the  most  unqualified  terms  utterly  condemns  unbelief,  so 
that  the  unbeliever  displeases  God — "is  condemned  alrea- 
dy"— "shall  perish" — "the  wrath  of  God  abideth  on 
him" — and  he  "shall  not  see  life,"  must  for  ever  be  an  un- 
answerable refutation  of  the  supposition  that  God  has  either 
forbidden,  or  is  indifi'erent  to,  our  faith  as  a  condition  of 
our  salvation.  And  precisely  with  the  same  force  and  clear- 
ness that  this  fact  is  proved,  is  the  conclusion  sustained, 
that  God  absolutely  requires  our  faith  and  obedience,  as  the 
only  conditions  of  salvation,  not  only  from  sin  in  this  life, 
but  in  its  highest  sense  in  heaven,  as  promised  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  And  this,  as  will  appear  from  the  few  other 
cases  we  will  examine,  forms  the  great  cardinal  doctrine  of 
the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ,  which  is  to  be  preached 
throughout  all  time,  and  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.     "  And 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  113 

he  said  unto  them,  Go  ye  into  all  the  world,  and  preach 
the  Gospel  to  every  creature.  He  that  believeth,  and  is 
baptized,  shall  be  saved ;  but  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be 
damned,"  Mark  xvi,  15,  16. 

That  this  Divine  commission  is  universal,  will  not  be 
denied  by  any,  and  especially  by  Universalism ;  and  that 
the  salvation  and  damnation  contemplated  are  consequent 
on  faith  and  unbelief,  is  so  clear  that  no  proof  can  make  it 
plainer.  And  it  is  no  less  clear  that  the  condemnation 
threatened  against  the  unbeliever,  is  the  opposite  of  the 
salvation  promised  on  conditions  of  faith  to  the  believer; 
and  the  veracity  of  God  would  be  no  more  violated  to  deny 
salvation  to  the  latter,  than  it  would  be  to  grant  salvation  to 
the  former  while  he  continues  in  unbelief.  It  is  therefore 
clear,  that  as  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  he  is  as  much 
bound  by  his  truth  to  inflict  the  punishment  implied  in  the 
damnation  of  the  unbeliever,  whatever  it  may  be,  as  he  is 
to  save  the  believer,  whatever  that  salvation  may  imply. 
To  deny  this  would  be  a  contradiction  of  Divine  truth,  as 
it  falls  from  the  lips  of  the  Son  of  God. 

To  feel  the  force  of  these  facts,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
inquire,  whether  the  salvation  of  the  Gospel,  as  promised 
to  believers  only,  and  the  condemnation  threatened  to  the 
unbelieving,  belong  exclusively  to  this  world,  or  whether 
they  extend  into  the  future  world?  UniversaHsm,  as  we 
have  already  shown,  as  the  only  alternative,  aflirms  the 
former.  And  if  this  is,  in  fact,  the  doctrine  the  Redeemer 
designed  to  teach  in  the  universal  commission  to  the  Gos- 
pel ministry,  it  will  be  perfectly  right,  and  do  no  injustice 
either  to  Jesus,  or  Universalism,  to  read  this  Divine  charter 
according  to  its  true  import.  Thus,  Go  ye  into  all  the 
world,  and  preach  the  Gospel  to  all  mankind :  he  that  be- 
lieveth and  is  baptized — obeys  all  its  precepts  as  well  as 
believes  all  its  doctrines — shall  be  saved ;  that  is,  shall  be 

saved,  not  in  heaven  on  condition  of  his  faith  and  obedience, 
10  '^ 


114  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

not  from  the  punishment  due  to  the  sins  he  has  already 
committed,  for  God  pardons  none,  but  punishes  for  every 
sin ;  not  from  the  commission  of  all  sin  hereafter,  for  no 
man,  according  to  the  system,  is  saved  from  all  sin  in  this 
life ;  not  from  the  guilt  of  sin,  it  being  a  part  of  the  pun- 
ishment ;  shall  be  saved,  from  what  ?  Why,  nothing  under 
the  heavens,  only  the  practice  of  some  (not  all)  sins  in  after 
life.  But  further,  the  facts  in  the  case  are,  and  should  in 
truth  and  justice  be  so  understood,  that  this  faith  required 
by  the  Gospel  has  no  more  to  do  with  man's  final  salvation 
in  heaven,  than  it  has  with  the  creation  of  the  world ! 

He  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned.  Where?  Of 
course  in  this  world.  When?  Every  sin  he  commits. 
How?  Why,  either  in  his  conscience,  person,  property,  or 
in  all  of  them.  But,  furthermore,  the  Savior  means,  ac- 
cording to  Universalism,  that  the  sinner  may  be  the  subject 
of  much  of  this  damnation,  and  even  glory  in  it ;  and  much 
more  of  it  may  pass  upon  him,  and  he  know  nothing  about 
it.  Not  only  so;  but  after  all  this,  the  sinner  is  as  sure  of 
heaven,  with  all  his  unbelief  and  damnation  on  earth,  as  if 
he  was  actually  there,  in  the  enjoyment  of  an  eternal  weight 
of  glory. 

Universalism  cannot  deny  the  correctness  of  this  view, 
without  wholly  conceding  the  question;  and  to  maintain 
the  position,  stamps  the  whole  system  with  the  highest  de- 
gree of  presumption,  not  to  say  blasphemy. 

Now,  Jesus  Christ  either  did,  or  he  did  not,  intend  to 
teach  the  revolting  absurdities,  which  the  system,  by  una- 
voidable consequences,  has  to  attribute  to  him.  If  he  did, 
it  is  impossible  to  defend  his  character,  either  for  wisdom, 
justice,  holiness,  or  truth.  If  he  did  not,  even  open  infi- 
delity could  not  more  grossly  pervert  his  doctrines,  or  east 
a  darker  cloud  over  the  Divine  Redeemer,  than  is  attempted 
by  Universalism.  And  these  consequences  cannot  be  es- 
caped, but  by  admitting  that  the  salvation  off'ered  to  man  by 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  115 

the  Savior,  and  through  the  ministry  to  the  whole  world, 
includes  not  only  deliverance  from  sin  in  this  life,  but 
final  salvation  in  heaven.  And  as  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
himself  proclaims,  he  that  believeth  and  obeys,  shall  be 
saved  from  sin — the  guilt,  practice,  love  and  power  of  sin 
in  this  world — and  if  he  continues  faithful  to  the  end,  he 
shall  be  saved  from  all  its  effects  and  consequences,  with 
an  everlasting  life  of  glory  in  heaven ;  while,  on  the  con- 
trary, he  that  believeth  not  shall  be  damned;  the  con- 
demnation of  God's  violated  law  rests  upon  him  here — he  is 
unholy,  guilty,  and  rebellious  ;  and  continuing  in  unbelief  till 
death,  as  a  consequence,  his  damnation  is  consummated  in 
the  eternal  world. 

Let  us  now  see  whether  the  apostles  so  understood  their 
Divine  Master,  so  taught  the  world,  and  so  lived  and  died. 
Hear  Paul,  as  already  quoted:  while  in  full  view  of  speedily 
approaching  death,  he  reiterates  the  doctrines  he  had  taught 
during  his  whole  ministerial  life;  and  that  too,  that  the 
same  might  be  proclaimed  after  his  death,  and  be  perpetua- 
ted to  the  latest  period  of  the  world.  "  For  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished  my 
course,  I  have  kept  the  faith :  henceforth  there  is  laid  up 
for  me  a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  Lord  the 
righteous  judge,  shall  give  me  at  that  day :  and  not  to  me 
only,  but  unto  all  them  also  that  love  his  appearing,"  2 
Tim.  iv,  6-8. 

The  crown  of  righteousness  which  he  expected  at  the 
hand  of  the  righteous  judge,  could  not  be,  as  some  have 
supposed,  merely  the  crown  or  glory  of  martyrdom ;  for  it 
was  not  prepared  for,  and  to  be  given  to  him,  or  the  mar- 
tyrs alone,  but  also  to  all  them  that  love  his  appearing. 
Now  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  millions  of  the  pious,  who 
love  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,  never  receive  a  crown 
of  martyrdom;  but  this  crown  is  for  all  who  love  him,  and 


116  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

cannot  be  for  the  martyrs  only  ;  and  could  be  nothing  less 
than  the  blessing  of  everlasting  life  and  glory.  He  ex- 
pected this  glorious  crown  and  reward  in  heaven,  as  the 
gracious  gift  of  the  righteous  judge:  and  not  on  the  ground 
of  merit,  by  any  thing  he  had  done,  or  could  do,  or  suffer. 
And,  further,  that  this  great  reward  would  be  conferred  on 
him  and  all  others  who  may  receive  it,  alone  upon  the  con- 
ditions of  faith,  obedience,  and  holiness.  His  own  lan- 
guage is  in  point:  "I  have  kept  the  faith."  This  implies, 
most  unquestionably,  that  he  believed  the  truth  of  God  as 
revealed  in  the  Gospel,  with  a  heart  unto  righteousness, 
with  faith  that  works  by  love  and  purifies  the  heart.  *'I 
have  fought  a  good  fight."  I  have  firmly  met,  and  pa- 
tiently endured  all  opposition,  persecution,  and  suffering. 
"I  have  finished  my  course,"  of  practical  and  personal  ho- 
liness, have  perseveringly  discharged  all  ministerial  and 
other  duties.  "I  am  now  ready  to  be  offered:"  with  all 
the  confidence  of  experimental  faith  and  holy  obedience,  I 
wait  the  will  of  God,  to  exchange  earth  for  heaven.  But 
without  this  faith  and  holiness,  he  could  not,  by  Divine  au- 
thority, have  any  such  prospect  or  hope  of  endless  happi- 
ness and  glory. 

But  for  Universalism  to  admit  that  faith  and  holy  obedi- 
ence were  absolutely  necessary  to  his  final  salvation,  would 
totally  ruin  the  whole  scheme.  Well,  hear  the  apostle, 
on  the  supposition  that  he  was  a  Universalist :  I  am  now 
ready  to  be  offered,  and  the  time  of  my  departure  is  at 
hand ;  but  I  am  no  better  prepared  for,  and  am  no  more  sure 
of  heaven  and  glory  than  I  was  when  a  bold  persecutor  of 
Jesus  Christ  and  his  holy  and  harmless  followers — than 
when  I  was  dragging  men,  women,  and  children  to  martyr- 
dom and  death.  I  have  fought  a  good  fight,  I  have  finished 
my  course ;  but  in  all  this  I  have  not  promoted  my  own, 
nor  the  salvation  in  heaven  of  an  individual  of  our  whole 
race;    and  my  own  and    (heir  final  salvation  would  have 


CHAP.    IV.^  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  117 

been  just  as  sure,  if  I  had  continued  to  oppose  Christ  and 
his  children  till  the  present  hour.  I  have  kept  the  faith ; 
but  had  I  denied  the  faith,  and  lived  in  consummate  infi- 
delity ;  and  had  I  exterminated  not  only  the  faith  of  Jesus 
Christ,  but  of  the  existence  of  God  from  the  whole  earth, 
and  established  the  universal  reign  of  atheism,  myself  and 
all  mankind  would  have  been,  and  would  now  be,  as  un- 
conditionally sure  of  final  holiness  and  happiness  in  heav- 
en, as  if  now  literally  and  eternally  saved.  Again :  a 
crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  judge  will  give  me,  and 
all  them  that  love  his  appearing ;  and  not  them  only,  but  to 
all  that  hate  his  appearing — to  every  class  of  sinners, 
though  they  live  and  die  in  the  deepest  depravity  and  crime. 
And  they  are  as  infallibly  sure  of  this  crown  of  righteous- 
ness, as  if  it  now  adorned  their  heads  before  the  throne  of 
God. 

It  is  perfectly  undeniable  that,  on  Universalist  principles, 
the  apostle  at  the  time,  and  under  the  circumstances  refer- 
red to,  might  have,  in  all  truth  and  justice,  taught  the  above 
doctrines.  But  if  such  were  really  his  sentiments,  and  if 
such  be  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus  Christ,  Paul  must  have 
been  a  traitor  to  both  Christ  and  his  Gospel ;  for  the  world 
may  be  challenged  to  point  to  a  solitary  instance,  where  the 
apostle,  in  his  entire  ministry,  ever  promised  heaven  and 
happiness  to  the  man  who  lives  and  dies  in  unbelief  and 
unholiness,  or  on  any  other  principles  than  faith  in  Jesus 
Christ.  Mark  his  emphatic  answer  to  the  inquiry,  "  What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved?"  "Believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved,"  Acts  xvi,  30,  31.  If, 
then,  Paul  was  not  false  to  Christ  and  his  truth,  and  yet 
never  promised  salvation  to  man,  either  in  earth  or  heaven, 
only  on  conditions  of  faith  and  obedience,  his  testimony  is 
in  perfect  harmony  with  that  of  the  Redeemer,  in  support 
of  the  doctrine  of  conditional,  personal,  final  salvation  by 
faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 


118  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [CHAP.    IV. 

But  we  will  refer  ag-aiu  lo  the  testimony  of  Peter.  He 
points  tlie  hope  of  the  Chrisiian  directly,  "to  an  inheri- 
tance incorruptible,  and  undehled,  and  that  fadeth  not  away, 
reserved  in  heaven  for  those,  who  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God,  through  faith,  unto  salvation,  ready  to  be  revealed 
in  the  last  time."  That  the  inheritance  and  final  salvation 
are  referred  specially  to  heaven,  cannot  be  denied  without  a 
palpable  contradiction  of  the  apostle ;  and  this  is  not  more 
clear  than  the  fact,  that  they  must  be  sought  and  obtained 
through  faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  And  according  to  God's 
plan  of  saving  sinners,  it  is  not  more  impossible  for  faith  to 
save  a  sinner,  independent  of  the  gracious  power  of  God, 
than  it  is  for  the  mere  power  of  God  to  save  sinners  with- 
out faith.  But  if  there  be  yet  any  doubt  on  this  point,  let 
us  suppose  Peter  to  have  been  a  thorough  and  honest  Uni- 
versalist.  Then  the  following  language  would  have  been 
perfectly  appropriate,  and  literally  true,  on  the  principles 
of  Universalism  :  "  Blessed  be  the  God  and  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  which,  according  to  his  abundant  mercy, 
hath  begotten  us  again  unto  a  lively  hope  by  the  resurrec- 
tion of  Jesus  Christ  from  the  dead,  to  an  inheritance,"  &c. 
But  all  mankind  are  as  sure  of  this  inheritance  without 
hope  as  with  it,  and  just  as  sure  of  it  without  the  death 
and  resurrection  of  Christ  as  with  them ;  for  man  never 
was  exposed  to  any  punishment  or  danger  in  the  future 
world,  and,  of  course,  Christ  never  saved  him  therefrom. 
It  is  reserved  in  heaven  for  you  who  are  kept  by  the  power 
of  God,  through  faith,  &c.  But  not  for  the  faithful  only, 
but  for  the  unfaithful  and  unholy  also ;  and  the  principal 
difference  is,  that  unbelief  and  crime  frequently  bring  the 
cruel  murderer  sooner  into  the  possession  of  it,  than  faith. 
For  example:  My  faith,  claiming  the  interposition  of  Di- 
vine Providence,  delivered  me  from  prison  and  the  hands 
of  Herod,  and  I  am  not  yet  in  possession  of  the  heavenly 
inheritance ;    but   Herod's   unbelief    and   blasphemy   hath 


CHAP.    IV.]  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  119 

brought  him  into  all  its  fullness.  The  same  conclusions 
follow  in  the  case  of  Peter  as  that  of  Paul ;  only  that  Peter 
not  only  denied  Christ  at  his  crucifixion,  but  was  false  to, 
and  concealed  the  provisions  of  his  word  and  grace  to  the 
day  of  his  death,  and  even  died  without  developing  the 
sublimities  of  Universal  ism  ;  that  God,  with  regard  to  sal- 
vation in  lieaven,  makes  no  difference  whatever  between 
the  chaste  and  licentious,  the  honest  and  dishonest,  the 
faithful  and  unfaithful,  the  obedient  and  rebellious,  the  godly 
and  profane,  the  holy  Christian  and  the  presumptuous  athe- 
ist, but  receives  them  all  into  heaven  and  glory  as  soon  as 
they  close  their  patient  piety,  or  daring  crimes  on  earth  ! 

The  declaration  of  the  apostle  James,  as  given  above,  is 
also  in  point:  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that  endureth  tempta- 
tion :  for  when  he  is  tried,  he  shall  receive  the  crown  of 
life,  which  the  Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him." 
A  crown  is  supposed  to  be  the  highest  worldly  distinction 
that  can  be  conferred  on  man  in  this  life,  and  the  apostle 
uses  this  in  illustration  of  the  final  blessings  of  the  faithful 
in  heaven  ;  that  they  shall  receive  the  highest  honors  that 
God  can  confer  upon  them,  even  a  crown  of  life — endless 
glory.  That  the  blessing  here  referred  to  is  to  be  enjoyed 
in  heaven,  is  too  plain  to  require  proof;  and  the  only  ques- 
tion is,  whether  it  is  promised  to  all  men  after  death,  with- 
out regard  to  faith  or  practice  in  this  life,  or  only  to  those 
who  believe  and  obey  the  word  of  God.  If  the  latter,  his 
testimony  is  directly  in  point.  If  the  former,  then,  accord- 
ing to  Universalism,  his  real  meaning  is,  the  man  that  en- 
dureth temptation  shall  be  blessed,  has  the  promise  of  the 
crown  of  life ;  but  he  is  equally  sure  of  it  should  he  resist 
no  temptation,  yield  to  all,  and  live  and  die  in  all  possible 
reveling  and  crime. 

We  will,  before  dismissing  this  point,  adduce  the  testi- 
mony of  the  apostle  John,  in  support  of  a  conditional,  per- 
sonal salvation  in  heaven,  by  faith,  obedience,  and  holiness 


120  CONDITIONAL    SALVATION.  [cHAP.    IV. 

in  this  life.  "Beloved,  now  we  are  the  sons  of  God;  and 
it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we  shall  be :  but  we  know  that, 
w^hen  he  shall  appear,  we  shall  be  like  him  ;  for  we  shall 
see  him  as  he  is,"  1  John  iii,  2.  And  Jesus  says,  "To 
him  that  overcometh  will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my 
throne,  even  as  I  also  overcome,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne.  He  that  hath  an  ear,  let  him  hear 
what  the  Spirit  saith  unto  the  Churches,"  Rev.  v,  21,  22. 
Here  also,  is  direct  reference  to  the  heavenly  glory  prom- 
ised to  them  that  overcome ;  and  that  this  promise  is  not 
made  to  the  finally  impenitent,  and  how  those  to  whom  it 
is  made  are  to  overcome  and  obtain  the  blessing,  is  settled 
by  authority  equally  unexceptionable.  "  For  whatsoever 
is  born  of  God  overcometh  the  world  ;  and  this  is  the  vic- 
tory that  overcometh  the  world,  even  our  faith,"  1  John  v,  4. 
While  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  treated  with  proper  defer- 
ence and  respect — while  Jesus  Christ  and  his  apostles  are 
allowed  to  be  competent  as  witnesses,  to  establish  any  truth 
in  theology,  the  following  points  must  be  conceded:  1. 
That  the  blessing  of  everlasting  life,  as  promised  to  man  in 
the  Gospel,  cannot  possibly  be  fully  enjoyed  in  this  life  in 
the  flesh,  and  is  necessarily  reserved  for  the  future  and  end- 
less life  of  glory.  2.  That  this  everlasting  life  of  glory  in 
heaven,  is  promised  to  man  alone  on  the  conditions  of  failh 
and  holy  obedience ;  and  as  it  is  impossible  for  God  to  lie, 
he  cannot  bestow  this  blessing  on  the  unholy  and  finally 
impenitent.  It  is,  therefore,  clear,  that  there  is  no  alterna- 
tive for  Universalism,  between  rejecting  the  Bible  as  incom- 
petent testimony  in  the  case,  and  charging  Christ  and  his 
apostles  with  dissembling,  and  admitting  the  fact  that  God 
does  absolutely  require  of  man  faith — that  faith  which  im- 
plies repentance,  reformation,  and  holiness — faith  which 
works  by  love  and  purifies  the  heart,  in  order  to,  and  as  a 
condition  of  personal,  final  salvation  in  heaven.  If  the  sys- 
tem chooses  the  former,  its  infidelity  will  be  disclosed;  if 


CHAP,    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSK.  121 

the  latter,  the  life  and  death  of  every  impenitent  sinner,  are 
a  standing  refutation  of  the  whole  theory. 

In  the  lio^ht  of  a  conditional  salvation,  by  grace  through 
faith,  we  can  contemplate  the  Almighty  with  the  deepest 
reverence,  and  most  exalted  love ;  while  we  see  every  per- 
fection of  his  nature  distinguished,  and  every  feature  of  a 
consistent  and  efficient  moral  government  maintained  and 
honored ;  and  that  too  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  richest 
and  most  sublime  provisions  of  mercy  and  grace  toward 
man;  and  the  whole  Divine  administration  graciously  adapt- 
ed to  the  constitution  and  chaiacter  of  man,  as  an  intelli- 
gent, free  moral  subject  of  the  Divine  government.  And 
in  this  light  the  Holy  Scripture  is  in  harmony  with  itself, 
with  the  character  and  government  of  God,  and  presents 
the  true  character  of  man,  his  relation  to  God  and  his  law, 
his  responsibility  to  both,  the  consequences  of  obedience 
and  rebellion  in  time  and  eternity. 


CHAPTER  V. 

DIVINE  WILL  AND  PURPOSE. 
Divine  Will  and  Purpose — God  does  not  desire  in  the  sense  that 
Man  does — The  Will  and  Purpose  of  God  the  rule  of  his  own  Ac- 
tions— In  this  sense,  Sovereign  and  Absolute — This  Will  the  rule  of 
Human  Actions — Ln  this  sense  it  may  be,  and  is  Resisted — The  Divine 
Will  as  a  rule  of  Human  Conduct,  extends  to  all  the  actions  of  Man — 
The  Divine  Being  contradicts  Himself — The  Bible  is  not  his  Word, 
or  Universalism  is  wholly  False. 

Universalism,  as  if  convinced  of  the  untenableness  of 
its  position  in  relation  to  the  promises,  prophecies,  and  invi- 
tations of  the  Scriptures,  virtually  abandons  the  ground, 
and  seeks  protection  under,  and  claims  support  from  the 
sovereign,  absolute  will  and  purpose  of  God.  Here  it  has 
thrown  around  itself  a  plausibility  which  has,  doubtless, 
II 


123  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  [cHAP.    V. 

deceived,  if  not  ruined  many ;  and  unless  it  is  exposed  in 
its  true  character,  may  deceive  and  ruin  others. 

The  greatest  errors  have  been  passed  off  on  the  credulity 
of  man,  and  rendered  more  or  less  current,  by  connecting 
them  with  some  cardinal  and  important  truths.  Universal- 
ism  has  fully  availed  itself  of  this  principle  in  the  present 
case.  And  starting  with  the  great  truth  that  God  had  a 
will,  or  definite  purpose  in  the  creation  of  man,  it  imper- 
ceptibly to  the  unsuspecting,  assumes  that  this  will,  or  sov- 
ereign purpose,  embraces  the  unconditional  salvation  of  all 
mankind  in  heaven  ;  and  to  cover  this  assumption,  it  asserts 
that  the  Divine  will  must  imply  this  sovereign  purpose,  or 
a  mere  desire  with  regard  to  the  final  salvation  of  man. 
And  having  really,  or  supposedly  refuted  the  latter,  it  claims 
with  great  confidence  to  be  supported  by  the  former.  One 
fruitful  source  of  error  in  matters  of  religion  is,  in  attribu- 
ting to  the  Divine  Being  more  or  less  of  those  properties 
and  operations  of  mind  that  we  see  belonging  to  man, 
among  which  is  that  of  desire.  That  God  may  possess 
desire  in  some  peculiar  and  qualified  sense,  may  be  admit- 
ted ;  but  that  he  desires  in  the  same  sense  that  man  does, 
is  wholly  inadmissible.  For  desire  in  man  always  implies 
a  future  object,  with  more  or  less  uncertainty,  with  regard 
to  its  attainment  and  enjoyment.  And  if  the  object  desired 
be,  when  obtained,  what  he  expected,  its  possession  in- 
creases his  happiness  ;  if  otherwise,  his  happiness  is  dimin- 
ished or  prevented,  by  the  disappointment  and  mortification. 
All  this  is  the  result  of  his  limited  knowledge  and  wisdom 
to  choose,  and  limited  power  to  execute.  But  as  God  is 
infinite  in  his  perfections,  and  immutably  happy  in  himself, 
he  cannot  be  the  subject  of  desire  in  the  same  sense  that 
man  is.  No  new  acquisition  can  increase  his  immutable 
happiness  ;  and  he  cannot  be  the  subject  of  disappointment, 
by  which  it  could  be  diminished :  from  which  it  is  clear, 
that  anv  argiimentfs   drawn   from   the    rlrsirr?;   of  man.  must 


CHAP.    V.J  DIVINE    WILL    AND    I'UHPOSE.  183 

be  radically  erroneous  when  applied  to  God.  These  facts 
should  be  kept  in  view  in  the  inquiry  on  the  will  of  God; 
and  how  far,  and  in  what  respect  that  will  is  sovereign  and 
absolute,  in  relation  to  the  salvation  of  man. 

The  will  of  God  may  be  considered,  first,  as  the  rule  or 
principle  of  Divine  action ;  in  this  sense  it  is  absolute  and 
resistless.  "Yea,  before  the  day  was,  I  am  he;  and  there 
is  none  that  can  deliver  out  of  my  hand :  I  will  work,  and 
who  shalllet  (or  hinder)  it?"  Isaiah  xliii,  13.  "  And  all 
the  inhabitants  of  the  earth  are  reputed  as  nothing :  and  he 
doeth  according  to  his  will  in  the  army  of  heaven,  and 
among  the  inhabitants  of  the  earth :  and  none  can  stay  his 
hand,  or  say  unto  him,  what  doest  thou  ?"  Daniel  iv,  35. 
"  Thou  wilt  say  then  unto  me,  Why  doth  he  yet  find  fault  ? 
For  who  hath  resisted  his  will  ?"  Romans  ix,  19.  "In 
whom  also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predes- 
tinated according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all 
things  after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  Eph,  i,  11.  The 
Divine  will  in  this  absolute  sense,  governed  the  entire  econ- 
omy of  human  redemption,  and  reigns  in  the  administration 
of  God  in  the  kingdom  of  his  providence. 

Secondly;  the  will  of  God  is  the  rule  of  human  actions 
in  this  life,  including  both  faith  and  practice.  Christ  saith, 
*'  For  whosoever  shall  do  the  will  of  God,  the  same  is  my 
brother,  and  my  sister,  and  mother,"  Mark  iii,  35.  "  For 
ye  know  what  commandments  we  gave  you  by  the  Lord 
Jesus.  For  this  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanctifica- 
tion,  that  ye  should  abstain  from  fornication;  that  every 
one  of  you  should  know  how  to  possess  his  vessel  in  sanc- 
tification  and  honor,"  1  Thess.  iv,  2-4.  "  For  ye  have 
need  of  patience,  that,  after  ye  have  done  the  will  of  God, 
ye  might  receive  the  promise,"  Heb.  x,  36.  "And  the 
world  passeth  away,  and  the  lust  thereof;  but  he  that  doeth 
the  will  of  God  abideth  for  ever,"  1  John  ii,  17. 

These  are  but  a  few  of  (he  numerous  declarations  of  the 


Vi4  DIVINE    ^VILJL    AND    PURPOSE.  [CHAP.    V. 

Holy  Scriptures,  in  direct  proof  that  the  will  of  God  is  the 
rule  of  human  actions ;  but  knowing  that  it  is  the  policy  of 
Universalism  to  obscure  this  as  well  as  other  points  in  dis- 
pute, we  will  endeavor  to  place  this  subject  on  indisputable 
ground.  1.  God  has  forbidden  all  sin  of  every  kind  and 
degree,  at  all  times,  and  under  every  circumstance  in  life. 
2.  He  has  enjoined  on  man  all  moral  and  religious  duties, 
in  such  a  broad  sense  as  to  include  all  experimental  and 
practical,  internal  and  external  piety.  These  facts  are  as 
plain  as  the  fact  that  we  have  a  Bible ;  and  to  deny  them, 
is  to  deny  that  the  Bible  is  the  word  of  God. 

Now  the  prohibitions  of  God  against  sin,  and  his  require- 
ments of  faith  and  obedience,  are  made,  either,  1.  Without 
any  Divine  will  in  the  case;  or,  2.  In  opposition  to  the  Di- 
vine will;  or,  3.  They  are  the  declaration  of  the  Divine 
will  in  the  case ;  and  that  will,  as  thus  revealed  in  the  Bi- 
ble, is  emphatically  the  rule  of  faith  and  practice  to  man  in 
this  life. 

To  attribute  action  or  decision  to  God,  either  without  a 
will,  or  in  opposition  to  his  own  will,  is  too  absurd  to  re- 
quire serious  refutation;  and  Universalism  must  sustain 
this  absurdity,  or  admit  that  the  will  of  God,  as  the  consti- 
tution of  his  moral  government,  is  not  only  the  rule  of  his 
own  sovereign  actions,  but  is  also  the  rule  of  action  to  all 
mankind.  There  is  one  other  point  we  wish  to  establish, 
before  we  proceed  to  examine  some  of  the  Scriptures  and 
arguments  by  which  Universalism  attempts  to  sustain  itself 
under  this  head ;  namely,  does  the  will  of  God,  as  a  rule 
of  faith  and  practice,  extend  to  all,  or  only  a  part  of  man's 
actions  in  this  life  ? 

Universalism  is  always  in  difficulties  when  brought  up  to 
this  point;  for  having  to  make  the  will  of  God  absolute  in 
relation  to  man's  salvation,  it  has  to  choose  bet\veen  the 
alternatives  of  an  utter  defeat,  and  exculpating  man  from 
moral  obligation,  by  limiting  the  Divine  will  to  but  a  part 


CHAP,    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AM)    PLRPOSL.  IS^ 

of  his  actions  in  this  world.  Mr.  Davis,  a  distinguished 
defender  of  the  system,  in  a  public  discussion  in  which 
the  writer  took  a  part,  gave  the  following  illustration 
of  the  will  of  God  in  man's  salvation :  "  You,"  said  the 
gentleman,  "  have  a  son  ;  it  is  your  will  to  give  him  a  good 
education.  In  order  to  this,  it  is  your  will  to  send  him  to 
school ;  but  your  will  in  the  case,  does  not  take  into  the 
account  how  many  fences  he  may  cross  in  going  to  school, 
nor  whether  he  will  leave  the  road  to  gather  flowers,  run 
after  butterflies,  or  even  stop  to  dabble  in  the  mud-puddle." 
So,  of  course,  according  to  the  system,  it  is  the  will  of 
God  unconditionally  to  save  men  in  heaven ;  but  that  will 
does  not  take  into  the  account,  whether  man,  in  going  to 
heaven,  shall  cross  the  path  of  truth  and  virtue,  leave  the 
road  of  duty  and  holiness,  to  run  after  the  flowers  and  but- 
terflies of  worldly  pleasure,  or  even  dabble  in  the  mud-pud- 
dles of  licentiousness  and  crime !  What  an  apology  for 
sin,  and  what  encouragement  to  sinners !  The  Divine 
will,  as  the  rule  of  human  conduct,  must  either,  1.  In- 
clude none  of  the  moral  dispositions  of  the  heart,  and 
moral  actions  of  the  life;  or,  2.  It  must  include  only  a  part 
of  them ;  or,  3.  It  must  extend  its  claims  to  all  the  moral 
dispositions  of  the  heart,  and  all  the  moral  actions  of  the 
life  of  man. 

To  admit  that  the  will  of  God  is  the  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  as  has  been  shown  to  be  the  fact,  and  then  assert 
that  it  does  not  require  either,  is  a  contradiction,  and  absur- 
dity ;  the  bare  mention  of  which,  is  a  suflicient  refutation 
thereof.  And  to  affirm  that  the  Divine  will,  as  a  rule  of 
human  conduct,  is  limited  to  but  a  part  of  our  actions,  is 
not  less  revolting;  for,  1.  It  renders  man  perfectly  inde- 
pendent of  his  Maker,  so  far  as  his  conduct  is  concerned* 
by  just  so  far  as  the  will  of  God  does  not  extend  its  claims 
to  all  his  actions.  2.  And  to  whatever  extent  this  release 
from  obliffJition  to  the  will  of  God  mav  he,  to  the  same  ex- 
11* 


126  DIVINE    WILI.   AND    PURPOSE,  [CHAP.    V, 

tent  man  may  employ  his  lime  and  powers  in  sin,  every 
imaginable  crime,  withai?t  violating  the  Divine  will ;  and  a» 
a  matter  of  course,  if  man  does  not  act  contrary  to  the  will 
of  his  Maker,  he  acts  in  conformity  thereto. 

Whatever  may  be  the  true  character  of  a  system  involv- 
ing such  consequences,  it  is  certain,  beyond  a  doubt,  that 
God  cannot  be  its  author,  nor  his  word  support  it;  and 
Universalism  has  either  to  forfeit  all  claim  to  Scriptural 
origin  and  support,  or  allow  that  the  will  of  God  is  not 
only  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  but  that  it  extends  its 
claims  to  the  whole  man,  and  requires  humble  faith  and 
universal  obedience 

We  will  now  notice  some  of  the  Scriptures  and  argu- 
ments claimed  by  the  system  under  this  head;  "Who 
will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  truth,"  1  Tim.  ii,  4.  "  Having  made  known 
unto  us  the  mystery  of  his  will,  according  to  his  good 
pleasure  which  he  hath  purposed  in  himself:  that  in  the 
dispensation  of  the  fullness  of  times  he  might  gather 
together  in  one  all  things  in  Christ,  both  which  are  in 
heaven,  and  which  are  on  earth ;  even  in  him :  in  whom 
also  we  have  obtained  an  inheritance,  being  predestinated 
according  to  the  purpose  of  him  who  worketh  all  things 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will,"  Eph.  i,  9-11.  There 
are  other  Scriptures  quoted  on  the  same  point ;  but  these 
are  sufficient  to  show  the  manner  in  which  Universalism 
misapplies,  not  to  say,  perverts  the  word  of  God. 

On  the  first  text,  Mr.  Tliomas  says,  "I  hold  that  the 
declaration,  God  tvUl  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  expresses 
the  determinate  purpose  of  the  Almighty.  He  will  have 
all  men  to  be  saved.'''  On  the  second,  he  says,  "  In  this 
passage  you  will  perceive,  1st.  That  the  will,  good  pleas- 
ure, and  purpose  of  God  are  associated  ;  which  fact  de- 
stroys the  supposition  that  his  will,  in  reference  to  the  final 
destiny  of  man,  is  only  jnatter  of   desire.     2d.  That  the 


CHAP.    V.j  DlViNK    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  127 

will,  good  pleasure,  and  purpose  of  God  embrace  the  final 
gathering  of  all  things  into  Christ.  3d.  That  God  pur- 
posed this,  not  in  man,  (for  if  dependent  on  the  creature  it 
might  fail,)  but  in  himself,  in  the  immutability  of  his 
own  nature  ;  and,  4th.  That  he  who  revealed  this  glorious 
and  ineffably  sublime  mystery,  '  ivorketh  all  things  (not 
according  to  the  imaginings,  faith,  or  works  of  man,  but) 
after  the  counsel  of  his  own  will.'  The  inference  is,  that 
he  HAS  a  will,  yea,  that  his  tvill  is  primary  and  indepen^ 
dentr     Theol.  Dis.,  pp.  261,  262. 

Mr.  Peck,  another  prominent  defender  of  the  system, 
says,  on  the  first  text,  "The  will  of  God  is  a  fixed  deter- 
mination or  purpose,  which  amounts  to  a  decree ;  and  on 
the  second,  "  Then  God  has  a  will.  That  will  is  not  sim- 
ply a  willingness,  but  a  purpose ;  and  that  embraces  as  its 
object  the  salvation  of  all  men."  Sermon  on  1  Tim.  ii,  4, 
printed  at  Montrose,  Pa.,  1833.  We  might  multiply  quo- 
tations from  Universalist  authors,  to  show  that  the  system 
liolds  the  will  of  God  in  relation  to  the  salvation  of  man, 
to  be  his  "purpose  amounting  to  a  decree,"  as  "immuta- 
ble as  his  Divine  nature  ;"  but  those  given  are  sufficient. 

Mr.  Thomas,  in  opposing  what  he  calls  the  "  Arminian 
cavil,"  says,  "But  the  Arminian  denial  of  the  Divine  effi- 
ciency, is  so  completely  inwoven  with  popular  theology, 
as  to  justify  a  farther  exposure  of  its  fallacy  and  infidelity. 
To  alledge  that  God  has  commenced  an  enterprise  which 
he  will  not  effect,  is  an  impeachment  of  his  wisdom  and 
immutability;  for  it  implies,  that  circumstances  will  arise 
which  will  induce  him  wholly  to  relinquish  his  purpose,  or 
essentially  to  modify  his  plans;  and  the  assertion  that  he 
has  purposed  what  he  cannot  effect,  (no  matter  what  the 
obstacles  may  be,)  is  so  palpable  a  denial  of  his  infinite 
power,  that  I  marvel  exceedingly  when  any  one  advances 
the  infidel  hypothesis.     It  places  the  Supreme  God  in  the 


128  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  [^CHAP.    V. 

pitiable  condition  of  a  man  who  begins  to  build,  and  is  not 
able  to  finish."     Theol.  Dis.,  p.  268. 

Passing,  for  the  present,  the  misrepresentation  of  Ar- 
minian  views,  as  given  by  Mr.  T.,  we  will  attend  to  the 
point  in  hand,  the  declaration,  "  Who  will  have  all  men  to 
be  saved,  and  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth." 
That  the  will  of  God  in  the  text,  includes  the  case  of  all 
men,  is  readily  admitted ;  but  that  it  is  absolute,  in  ths 
sense  of  being  resistless  by  man,  is  denied;  and  for  the 
following  reasons:  First;  men  do  actually  resist  the  will 
of  God  in  reference  to  their  salvation:  "O,  Jerusalem,  Je- 
rusalem, thou  that  killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them 
which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered 
thy  children  together,  *  *  *  and  ye  would  not!" 
Matt,  xxiii,  37.  "  He  came  unto  his  own,  and  his  own  re- 
ceived him  not,"  John  i,  11.  "And  ye  will  not  come  to 
me,  that  ye  might  have  life,"  John  v,  40. 

In  these  and  numerous  other  cases  that  might  be  addu- 
ced, one  of  two  things  is  inevitably  true:  1.  The  Almighty 
mocks  and  deceives  man  by  charging  him  wath  disobe- 
dience and  rebellion,  when  he  only  acts  according  to  the 
Divine  will ;  or,  2.  Man  may  violate,  or  act  in  opposition 
to  the  will  of  his  Maker.  To  assert  the  former,  is  wicked- 
ly to  traduce  the  Divine  character,  and  place  it  upon  a  level 
with  the  basest  of  mankind.  And  Universalism  has  no 
alternative  but  to  make  the  charge,  or  admit  the  latter,  that 
man  may  resist  the  Divine  will  on  the  subject  of  his  salva- 
tion ;  and  such  admission  will  be  a  total  relinquishment  of 
the  claimed  support  of  all  this  class  of  Scriptures ;  for  one 
truth  is  as  strong  as  another,  and  while  it  is  an  immutable 
truth  of  God  that  he  has  made  provision  for  the  salvation 
of  all  men,  and  is  his  will  that  all  men  should  be  saved 
on  the  terms  he  proposes,  *'  He  that  believeth  shall  be 
saved,"  it  is  no  less  an  eternal  truth  of  God,  that  the  unbe- 


CIlAl'.    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PrRPOSK.  129 

liever,  who  will  not  come  to  God  that  he  might  have  life 
and  be  saved,  "shall  be  damned." 

But,  secondly,  it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  should  be 
saved  from  sin,  and  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth  in 
this  life,  or  it  is  not  his  will.  That  Universalism  must 
meet  one  or  the  other  of  these  points,  is  reduced  to  an  abso- 
lute certainty ;  and  it  is  matter  of  no  concern  to  us  which 
it  chooses,  for  the  choice  of  either  makes  its  case  hopeless. 
If  it  affirms  that  it  is  not  his  will  that  man  should  be  saved, 
and  come  to  a  knowledge  of  the  truth  in  this  world,  it  must 
of  necessity  be  his  will  that  man  should  continue  in  sin, 
error,  and  ignorance,  all  the  days  of  his  life  on  earth.  1. 
This  would  be  a  direct  contradiction  of  the  Divine  word, 
which  declares,  "  This  is  the  will  of  God,  even  your  sanc- 
tification,"  1  Thess.  iv,  3.  And  that  this  refers  to  man  in 
this  life,  is  placed  beyond  a  possible  doubt ;  for  a  part  of 
this  salvation  is,  that  ye  abstain  from  "  fornication."  When  ? 
Surely,  not  after  death.  Where  i  Certainly,  not  in  heaven  ; 
and,  of  course,  in  this  world.  But,  2.  It  would  Divinely 
authorize  man  to  live  in  sin  and  unholiness  all  the  days  of 
his  life,  and  place  the  seal  of  God's  approbation  on  every 
crime  committed  by  him.  Universalism  must  bear  all  those 
unholy  consequences,  so  repugnant  to  the  word  of  God  and 
every  feeling  of  piety,  or  admit  that  it  is  the  Divine  will 
that  man  should  be  saved  in  this  world  ;  and  if  it  does,  it 
must  yield  the  question,  and  turn  the  very  arguments  used 
to  refute  the  "  Arminian  cavil,"  against  itself. 

To  demonstrate  this  :  God  either  has,  or  has  not,  made 
provision  for  man's  salvation  from  sin  in  this  life.  To 
assert  that  he  has  not,  while  he  says,  *'  Look  unto  me  and 
be  ye  saved,  all  ye  ends  of  the  earth;"  and,  "Behold, 
now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is  the  day  of  salva- 
tion," is  presumptuously  to  impeach  the  Divine  veracity, 
and  contradict  the  Almighty.  And  if  he  has  made  this  pro- 
vision for,  and  oflers  it  to  man,  it  is  the  Divine  will,  or  it  is 


IHO  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  j^CIIAP.     V. 

not,  that  man  shonld  now  be  saved  from  sin.  To  say  that 
God  has  made  tliis  provision,  and  offers  salvation  to  man, 
but  is  not  willing  that  he  should  now  be  saved,  is  to  charge 
infinite  wisdom,  truth,  and  goodness,  with  folly,  falsehood, 
and  cruelty.  The  conclusion  is,  therefore,  inevitable,  that 
it  is  the  will  of  God  that  man  should  be  saved  from  sin  in 
this  world.  But  are  all  men  thus  saved  ?  Matters  of  fact 
are  standing  proof  to  the  contrary. 

Then,  according  to  Mr.  Thomas'  mode  of  reasoning, 
"  God  has  commenced  an  enterprise  w^hich  he  will  not 
effect;"  and  his  logic,  "places  the  Supreme  God  in  the 
pitiable  condition  of  a  man  who  begins  to  build,  and  is  not 
able  to  finish."  And  there  is  no  escape  for  Mr.  T.  and 
Universalism,  but  to  affirm,  that  God  never  "commenced" 
the  "enterprise"  of  saving,  in  this  world,  those  who  live 
and  die  in  sin ;  and  tliat  they  thus  die  impenitent,  because 
it  is  not  the  will  of  God  that  they  should  be  saved.  That 
this  is  the  real  character  of  Universalism,  much  as  the  pub- 
lic may  be  surprised  at  it,  we  proceed  farther  to  show. 

If  man  can  oppose  the  will  of  God  in  rejecting  the  sal- 
vation provided  for,  and  offered  to  him  in  this  world,  and 
live  and  die  in  sin,  unless  the  immutable  Jehovah  can 
change,  man  may  be  sinful  and  miserable  eternally.  Uni- 
versalism, aware  of  this,  takes  the  ground  that  man  in  no 
case  whatever  can  act  contrary  to  the  Divine  will.  Mr. 
Davis,  in  the  discussion  already  alluded  to,  stated  that 
"  man  is  a  free  agent — he  is  free  to  behold,  with  admiration 
and  delight,  all  the  beauties  of  nature  and  art;  but  to  talk 
about  man's  freedom  in  opposition  to  the  will  of  God,  is 
like  plucking  God  from  his  throne  !" 

Mr.  A.  Peck,  who  participated  in  the  discussion,  indorsed 
the  position,  and  added,  "  God  knows  all  the  effects  of  ex- 
ternal circumstances  on  man;  therefore,  they  are  all  in  his 
design."  We  have  quoted  from  our  notes,  as  taken  down 
at  the  time.     Mr.   AVhittnnore  savs,   that  it  is  the  will  of 


CHAP,    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  131 

God  that  "  not  only  those  who  lived  on  the  earth  while  he 
(Christ)  was  here,  but  all  who  lived  before,  and  all  who 
have  since  lived,  and  all  who  shall  live,"  shall  be  saved  in 
heaven  ;  and  that  "  the  will  of  God  cannot  be  resisted." 
Universalist  Guide,  p.  26.  That  the  will  of  God  is  abso- 
lute, and  that  man  always  does  his  will  in  every  thing,  ac- 
cording to  these  gentlemen,  is  sufHciently  plain,  without 
any  comment  of  ours. 

Again:  Mr.  Thomas  says,  on  the  agency  and  accounta- 
bility of  man:  "In  the  judgment  of  Universalists,  man  is  a 
moral  agent ;  and  all  the  agency  he  possesses  is  the  gift  of 
God;  and  that  to  said  agency  no  violence  will  ever  be 
offered  by  the  giver.  Nevertheless,  we  hold,  that  he  who 
is  the  author  of,  has  the  power  to  give  to,  the  agency  of 
man  such  impulse,  and  to  his  will  such  a  direction,  as  infi- 
nite benevolence  may  prompt;  and  to  do  this  in  such  a 
way  as  not  to  contravene  the  liberty  of  the  human  mind, 
*  *  *  The  Gospel,  the  Divine  plan  of  salvation,  views 
man  as  he  is,  a  sinner;  and  the  removal  of  whatever  per- 
versity there  be  in  the  human  will,  and  of  all  difHculties 
which  exist,  of  whatever  kind,  is  provided  for  in  the  econ- 
omy of  heaven.  Infinite  wisdom  devised  the  plan  in  con- 
formity with  the  dictates  of  infinite  love  ;  and  infinite  power 
will  effect  the  purpose  of  unbounded  grace."  Theol.  Dis., 
pp.  263,  269. 

"With  all  the  studied  caution  observed  by  Mr.  T.,  in  the 
above  statement,  it  contains  all  the  elements  of  this  revolt- 
ing feature  of  Universalism.  For  man,  with  the  agency 
and  will  thus  ascribed  to  him,  either  does,  or  he  does  not, 
act  contrary  to  the  will  of  God  on  the  subject  of  his  salva- 
tion. If  he  does,  and  is  not  saved  because  he  will  not  come 
to  Christ  that  he  might  have  life,  then  the  point  is  given  up, 
that  the  Divine  will  that  all  men  should  be  saved,  does  not 
imply  that  they  should  be  saved  contrary  to  their  own  will, 
mid  without  faith  and  obedience  to  lh«^  will  of  God. 


132  DIVINE    MILL    AND    PLRPOSK.  [cHAP.    V. 

Again:  as  "the  author  of,  has  tlie  power  to  give  to,  the 
agency  of  man  such  impulse,  and  to  his  will  such  direction, 
as  infinite  benevolence  may  prompt;"  and  as  "infinite 
power  will  effect"  the  work;  it  follows,  that  in  all  the 
crime  of  which  man  has  been  guilty,  he  has  always  been 
under  these  "infinite"  promptings,  and  directed  by  "infi- 
nite power,"  which  he  could  no  more  resist  than  he  could 
"pluck  God  from  his  throne."  But,  once  more;  God  de- 
signed to  give  to  "  the  agency  of  man  such  impulse,  and  to 
his  will  such  a  direction,"  and  the  "  infinite  power"  to 
effect  it,  as  to  save  man  from  sin  in  this  life,  or  he  did  not. 
If  he  thus  designed,  as  multitudes  live  and  die  in  the  gross- 
est sins,  and  greatest  rebellion,  according  to  Mr.  T.'s  argu- 
ment, "  God  has  undertaken  an  enterprise  which  he  will 
not  effect;"  and  this  "  places  the  Supreme  God  in  the  pit- 
iable condition  of  a  man  who  begins  to  build,  and  is  not 
able  to  finish."  And  there  is  no  escape  for  Mr.  Thomas 
and  Universalism,  from  the  deadly  force  of  his  own  artil- 
lery, but  to  assert,  that  God  did  not  design  or  will  to  save 
all  men  from  sin  in  this  life.  Then  tlie  conclusion  must 
follow,  with  all  the  force  of  demonstration,  that  his  design 
and  will  is,  that  men  should  absolutely  live  and  die  in  sin 
and  unholiness.  On  this  point,  Mr.  Ballon  says,  "Kit 
should  be  granted,"  and  he  tries  to  prove  it,  "  that  sin  will 
finally  terminate  for  good,  in  the  moral  system,  it  will  then 
be  necessary  to  admit  that  God  is  its  first  cause,  or  we  can- 
not say  that  God  is  the  author  of  all  good.  *  *  *  If, 
by  real  evil,  (sin,)  be  meant  something  that  ought  not  to  be, 
in  respect  to  all  the  consequences  which  attend  it,  I  cannot 
admit  of  its  existence.  *  *  *  Now,  to  reason  justly, 
we  must  conclude,  that  if  God  possess  injinite  wisdom,  he 
could  never  intend  any  thing  to  take  place,  or  be,  that  will 
not  take  place,  or  be  ;  nor  that  which  is,  or  will  be,  not  to 
be,  at  the  time  when  it  is."  Ballon  on  the  Atonement,  pp 
17,  23,  36. 


CHAP,    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  133 

Proof  can  scarcely  be  clearer,  that  Universalism  holds 
that  all  men,  at  all  times,  and  in  all  things,  are  doing  the 
Divine  will.  God  never  intended,  or  willed,  which  is  the 
same,  in  reference  to  the  conduct  of  man,  "  any  thing,"  or 
action,  "  to  take  place,  or  be,  that  will  not  take  place  or  be  ;" 
but  it  has  not  taken  place  that  all  men  have  been  saved  from 
sin  in  this  life,  therefore,  God  never  intended  that  they 
should  be  saved.  Again  :  "  God  never  intended,  or  willed, 
that  which  is,  or  will  be,  not  to  be,  at  the  time  when  it  is ;" 
but  it  has  taken  place  that  men  are  infidels,  atheists,  rob- 
bers, adulterers,  seducers,  and  murderers,  and  all  these  too 
under  the  most  aggravated  circumstances  ;  therefore,  God 
intended  that  they  should  all  be  at  the  time  when  they  took 
place,  and  they  could  no  more  be  avoided,  than  "  infinite 
power"  can  be  resisted,  or  *'God  plucked  from  his  throne." 

According  to  this  scheme,  God  is  the  absolute  and  effi- 
cient cause,  and  man  only  the  unresisting  and  obedient  in- 
strument of  all  the  conduct  of  mankind.  Then  look  abroad 
upon  this  blood-polluted  globe,  and  behold  the  scenes  rising 
in  awful  gradation,  from  the  deliberate  murder  of  an  unof- 
fending brother,  till  crime  increasing  in  magnitude,  martials 
nation  against  nation,  in  the  attitude  of  vengeance,  and  till 
the  bosom  of  the  vast  deep  is  stained,  and  the  thirsty  earth 
bathed  with  human  blood;  and  then  reflect,  that  this  is  but 
a  single  specimen  of  what  has  been  transpiring  for  ages ; 
and  unless  God  should  change,  and  become  willing  that 
man  should  be  saved  from  his  sin  in  this  "  present  Avorld," 
they  must  be  continued  while  the  world  stands.  AVhat  a 
horrid  imputation  this  on  the  character  of  the  Almighty  1 

In  the  light  of  these  facts,  and  the  testimony  of  Univer- 
salism, as  furnished  in  the  quotations  above  from  its  distin- 
guished authors,  we  proceed  to  establish  one  of  three  posi- 
tions:  1.  The  Divine  Being  contradicts  and  denies  him- 
self, and  is  infinitely  insincere  in  his  administration  toward 
man ;  or,  2.  The  Bible  is  not  the  word  and  will  of  God  to 

12 


134  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  [cHAP.    V. 

man,  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  or,  3.  Universalism 
is  utterly  false,  and  a  presumptuous  traducer  of  both  God 
and  his  holy  word. 

It  has  been  fully  shown,  that  the  existence  of  Universal- 
ism depends  on  maintaining  that  God  does  not  will  the  sal- 
vation of  all  men  in  this  world  ;  and  that  man  cannot  act 
contrary  to,  and  of  necessity  act  in  accordance  with  the 
Divine  will.  It  has  also  been  clearly  shown,  that  the  Al- 
mighty has  authorized  the  publication  of  the  Gospel  to  the 
whole  world,  and  given  invitations,  and  made  offers  of  sal- 
vation to  all  mankind.  Now,  if  he  has  not  only  not  willed 
their  salvation,  but  has  willed  that  many  of  them  should  live 
and  die  unsaved,  live  and  die  in  sin,  he  most  unquestiona- 
bly contradicts  himself.  God  has  proclaimed  to  man, 
"Be  ye  holy,  for  I  am  holy,"  Lev.  xi,  44  ;  1  Peter  i,  16. 
But  if  he  has  willed  that  men  should  not  be  holy,  but  live 
and  die  in  sin  and  unholiness,  he  denies  himself,  and  gives 
the  clearest  proof  that  he  delights  more  in  the  corruption 
and  unholiness  of  man  in  this  world  than  in  his  holiness, 
his  own  Divine  declarations  to  the  contrary  notwithstand- 
ing. And  if  this  is  not  infinte  insincerity,  actions  and  lan- 
guage have  no  meaning.  But  if  it  is  impossible  for  the  Al- 
mighty thus  to  dissemble,  contradict,  and  deny  himself,  if 
Universalism  be  true,  the  Bible  cannot  be  his  word  and  will 
to  man;  for  it  represents  God  as  saying,  "Look  unto  me, 
and  be  ye  saved,  all  the  ends  of  the  earth ;  for  I  am  God, 
and  there  is  none  else,"  Isaiah  xlv,  22.  And  that  this  sal- 
vation offered  to,  may  be  enjoyed  by  man  in  this  world,  is 
rendered  indisputable  :  "  for  the  grace  of  God  that  bringeth 
salvation  hath  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that,  deny- 
ing ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly, 
righteously,  and  godly,  in  this  present  world,"  Titus  ii,  11, 
12.  But,  according  to  Universalism,  it  is  not  the  will  of 
God  that  all  men  should  be  saved,  and  "  live  godly,  in  this 
present  world ;"  therefore,  the  Bible  is  not  the  will  of  God, 


CHAP.    V.J  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  lS5 

but  wholly  misrepresents  him,  and  of  course  should  be 
rejected. 

Again:  "Thou  shalt  have  no  other  gods  before  me.     * 

*  *  Thou  shalt  not  bow  down  thyself  to  them,  nor  serve 
them.  *  *  *  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord 
thy  God  in  vain.  *  *  *  Remember  the  Sabbath  day, 
to  keep  it  holy.     *     *     *     Honor  thy  father  and  mother. 

*  *  *  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  *  *  *  Thou  shalt  not 
commit  adultery.  *  *  *  Thou  shalt  not  steal.  *  *  * 
Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor.     * 

*  *  Thou  shalt  not  covet,"  Exod.  xx,  3-17.  But  men 
do  have  other  god's  beside  the  great  Jehovah,  and  actually 
do  bow  down  to,  and  serve  them  ;  men  do  profane  and  bias* 
pheme  the  Divine  name ;  men  do  profane  and  desecrate  the 
holy  Sabbath ;  men  do  actually  dishonor  their  father  and 
mother,  kill,  commit  adultery,  steal,  bear  false  witness,  and 
covet.  But,  according  to  Universalism,  nothing  takes  place 
but  what  God  intended,  or  willed  should  take  place,  or  be, 
at  the  time  it  occurs,  and  man  has  no  power  to  act  contrary 
to  the  will  of  God ;  therefore,  all  the  idolatry,  profanity, 
dishonesty,  perjury,  theft,  murder,  with  all  other  supposed 
crimes  against  God  and  man,  were  intended  by  Jehovah, 
and,  of  course,  are  in  harmony  with  his  will  and  purpose ; 
and  the  Bible,  which  so  sternly  forbids,  and  unsparingly 
condemns  them,  opposes  the  intention  and  will  of  God,  and 
thereby  imposes  upon,  and  cruelly  deceives  man. 

In  the  development  of  this  feature  of  Universalism,  we 
are  conducted  to  an  important  point,  where  the  candid  reader 
is  called  upon  to  decide  in  a  matter  involving  the  highest 
interests  of  his  immortal  spirit,  in  time  and  eternity  ;  that 
is,  whether  God,  the  Bible,  or  Universalism,  is  the  great 
deceiver  of  mankind.  For  that  they  can  all  be  true,  is  as 
impossible,  as  that  truth  and  falsehood  are  the  same ;  or 
that  the  deepest  moral  corruption  should  blend  in  eternal 


136  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  [ciIAP.    V. 

harmony  with  perfect  holiness  ;  or  the  immutable  Jehovah 
change  into  perfect  mutability. 

At  this  point,  while  the  candid  inquirer  after  truth  rejects 
Universalism,  and  heartily  believes  the  Bible,  and  rever- 
ently obeys  God,  the  atheist  will  profanely  reject  Jehovah, 
and  the  infidel  the  Bible;  and  Universalism,  professing  to 
believe  the  one,  and  worship  the  other,  will  embrace  both 
the  infidel  and  the  atheist  in  one  common  brotherhood,  and 
assure  them  that  they  are  unconditionally  sure  of  heaven, 
though  the  former  should  live  and  die  blaspheming  the 
Bible,  and  all  that  it  teaches,  and  the  latter  live  and  die  blas- 
pheming the  God  of  the  Bible.  What  a  traitor  and  tradu- 
cer  it  must  be,  both  of  God  and  the  sacred  Bible ;  and  how 
fully  deserving  the  bold,  apostolic  rebuke,  "  O,  full  of  all 
subtilty  and  mischief,  thou  child  of  the  devil,  thou  enemy 
of  all  righteousness,  wilt  thou  not  cease  to  pervert  the  right 
ways  of  the  Lord?"  Acts  xiii,  10. 

Such  are  the  unavoidable  consequences  of  denying,  either 
directly  or  indirectly,  the  moral  agency  of  man,  and  his 
accountability  to  his  Maker,  in  that  sober  and  rational  light 
in  which  it  is  recognized  in  the  Scriptures,  and  corroborated 
by  the  convictions  and  experience  of  mankind ;  and  resolv- 
ing all  the  actions  of  men,  and  operations  of  human  society, 
into  the  absolute  and  sovereign  will,  purpose,  or  decree  of 
God.  Contenting  ourself,  therefore,  for  the  present,  with 
exposing  the  absurdities  of  the  theology,  without  stopping 
to  correct  either  the  logic,  or  metaphysics  of  the  gentlemen 
quoted  above,  or  Universalism  in  general,  we  remark,  fur- 
ther, in  conclusion,  that  the  will  of  God,  as  has  been  shown, 
is  the  rule  or  principle  of  Divine  action,  and  as  such,  may 
be  considered  positive  and  negative.  The  former,  imply- 
ing all  that  he  does ;  among  which  is  included  the  ample 
provision  he  has  made  for  the  salvation  of  all  men,  and  a 
revelation  of  his  will  to  man  as  the  rule  of  his  faith  and 
practice.     The  latter  implies  all  that  he  permits  to  be  done 


CHAP,    v.]  DIVINE    WILL    AND    PURPOSE.  137 

by  man.  But  in  this  latter  case,  let  it  be  distinctly  recol- 
lected, that  what  he  permits  to  be  done  must  be  understood 
in  a  two-fold  sense.  1.  In  the  absence  of  a  direct  expres- 
sion of  the  Divine  will,  he  may  permit,  in  the  sense  of  ap- 
proving or  approbating,  what  is  done.  For  example,  Paul 
says,  "  But  I  speak  this  by  permission,  and  not  of  com- 
mandment," 1  Cor.  vii,  6.  In  this  case,  God,  doubtless, 
perfectly  approved  what  the  apostle  was  thus  permitted  to 
speak,  without  a  direct  command.  2.  But  the  will  of  God, 
by  which  he  permits  other  actions  of  men,  must  be  under- 
stood in  a  widely  different  sense  ;  for  though  he  expressly 
forbids,  and  utterly  disapproves  of  the  actions,  he  never- 
theless permits  them  to  take  place.  That  is,  he  does  not 
interpose  a  superior  power,  and  thereby  prevent  their  per- 
formance ;  but  in  this  sense  permits  the  agent,  on  his  own 
responsibility,  to  do  those  things,  though  emphatically  for- 
bidden, and  holds  him  answerable  for  them  in  the  day  of 
final  judgment  and  retribution.  This  is  perfectly  clear  from 
the  following  Divine  testimony :  "  Ye  shall  make  you  no 
idols  nor  graven  image,  neither  rear  you  up  a  standing  im- 
age, neither  shall  ye  set  up  any  image  of  stone  in  your 
land,  to  bow  down  unto  it:  for  I  am  the  Lord  your  God," 
Lev.  XXV  i,  1. 

This  language  of  prohibition  and  disapprobation  is  une- 
quivocal ;  and  yet  the  Almighty,  in  the  sense  above  ex- 
plained, permitted  all  those  prohibitions  to  be  violated,  and 
all  those  crimes  to  be  committed.  "And  they  set  them  up 
images  and  groves  in  every  high  hill,  and  under  every  green 
tree :  and  there  they  burnt  incense  in  all  the  high  places,  as 
did  the  heathen  whom  the  Lord  carried  away  before  them ; 
and  wrought  wicked  things  to  provoke  the  Lord  to  anger : 
for  they  served  idols,  whereof  the  Lord  had  said  unto  them, 
Ye  shall  not  do  this  thing,"  2  Kings  xvii,  10-12. 

From  these  testimonies  and  facts,  it  follows,  that  just  so 
clear  as  is  the  proof  that  the  immutable  Deity  cannot  change, 
12*^ 


138  DIVINE    WILL   AND    PURPOSE.  [cHAP.    V. 

infinite  justice  and  goodness  act  cruelly,  infinite  wisdom 
commit  error,  infinite  holiness  love  sin,  or  the  veracity  of 
God  prove  utterly  false,  and  the  Bible  an  impostor,  by  just 
so  clear  is  the  proof,  that  Universalism  is  wholly  erroneous, 
and  that  man  is  a  moral  agent,  in  that  sense  which  implies 
liberty  of  choice,  either  in  accordance  with,  or  in  opposi- 
tion to,  the  will  of  God ;  and  that,  too,  in  those  things  which 
concern  his  present  and  eternal  salvation.  And  in  the  abuse 
of  that  liberty  and  agency,  he  may  slight  and  neglect  the 
grace  of  God,  that  bringeth  salvation  unto  all  men — that 
true  Light,  that  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh  into  the 
world ;  may  quench  or  resist  that  Spirit,  a  manifestation  of 
which  is  given  to  every  man  to  profit  withal ;  and  refuse  to 
come  to  God  that  he  might  have  life,  continue  in  unbelief, 
condemnation,  and  moral  death  here ;  and  because  he  prac- 
tically counts  himself  unworthy  of  eternal  life,  die  unholy, 
and  go  away  to  everlasting  punishment  hereafter,  in  the 
future  and  endless  world. 

On  the  other  hand,  as  a  redeemed  sinner  under  the  pro- 
visions of  Divine  giace,  in  the  proper  use  of  this  liberty, 
he  may  choose  life  by  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  render  obedi- 
ence to  the  will  of  God,  be  saved  from  sin  here,  and  from 
all  its  consequences  hereafter.  And  the  fact  that  God 
may  restrain,  or  enlarge  the  liberty  of  man,  either  physical 
or  intellectual,  for  a  particular  purpose,  so  far  from  affecting 
the  above  view  of  the  subject,  only  confirms  it;  for  those 
cases,  if  they  occur,  are  confessedly  exceptions  to  the 
general  principles  of  action,  and  there  can  be  no  such  ex- 
ceptions without  a  general  rule. 

Any  other  view  of  this  subject  must  impeach  every  per- 
fection of  the  Divine  character,  or  convict  the  Bible  as  the 
grossest  deception  ever  passed  off"  upon  mankind.  Univer- 
salism, fully  conscious  that  the  community  is  not  ripe  for 
open  infidelity,  by  attempting  to  convict  the  Bible ;  nor  for 
atheism,  by  rejecting  the  author  of  the  Bible;  and  appre- 


CHAP.    VI.]  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  139 

hensive,  when  pressed  on  this  point,  that  itself  must  be 
convicted,  flies,  as  to  a  city  of  refuge,  to  the  foreknowledge 
of  God,  and  attempts  to  seek  protection  there,  from  the 
gathering  storm. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

FOREKNOWLEDGE. 

Foreknowledge — Must  refer  to  and  include  th€  Infinite  Wisdom  and 
Knowledge  of  God — Must  imply  his  Infinite  Wisdom  and  Knowl- 
edge— Or  it  implies  more,  or  less,  than  this — If  Human  Actions 
are  necessary  because  they  are  Foreknown,  either  God  or  Man  must 
be  the  cause  of  that  necessity — Consequences. 

On  this  confessedly  sublime  and  incomprehensible  sub- 
ject, we  do  not  intend  to  indulge  in  mere  speculation,  but  to 
submit  some  practical  reflections,  sufficient  to  show  that 
Universalism  can  derive  no  possible  support  from  this 
source. 

To  avoid  the  revolting  consequences  which  follow  the 
position  the  system  takes  with  regard  to  the  will  and  pur- 
pose of  God,  and  the  agency  and  accountability  of  man,  it 
resorts  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God,  and  maintains  that, 
as  an  Infinite  Being,  he  foresaw  from  all  eternity,  with  ab- 
solute certainty,  every  action  of  man,  with  all  their  circum- 
stances and  consequences,  in  time  and  in  eternity ;  and  to 
affirm  that  any  of  those  actions  or  events  will  not  take  place 
just  as  they  were  foreknown,  would  conclude  against  the 
infinity  of  God;  and  to  allow  that  they  will  occur  just 
as  they  were  foreknown,  renders  their  occurrence  abso- 
lutely necessary ;  and  as  the  Divine  plan  includes  the  un- 
conditional holiness  and  happiness  of  all  mankind  in  heav- 
en, this  will  cover  all  consequences,  whatever  they  may  be. 

This  position  derives  all  its  apparent  strength  from,  1. 
Asserting  that  the  Divine  plan  of  saving  sinners,  includes 
the  absolute  salvation  of  all  men  in  heaven ;  and,  2.  Assu- 


140  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  [cHAP.    VI. 

ming  that  certainty  on  the  part  of  Divine  foreknowledge,  is 
precisely  equivalent  to  absolute  necessity  on  the  part  of 
man,  as  it  regards  human  actions,  and  their  results  for  time 
and  eternity.  The  former  has  already  been  shown  to  be 
wholly  false  and  unscriptural ;  and  on  examination,  it  will 
be  seen,  that  the  latter  is  not  less  so. 

That  the  subject  of  the  Divine  foreknowledge  may  be  un- 
derstood, so  far  as  man's  practice  is  concerned,  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  the  foreknowledge,  as  revealed  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  must  refer  to,  and  include,  the  infinite  wisdom 
and  knowledge  of  God,  or  it  does  not.  To  say  that  it  does 
not,  is  to  exclude  the  infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge  of 
God  from  his  foreknowledge,  or  to  maintain  that  the  Divine 
foreknowledge  exists  without  either  wisdom  or  knowledge. 
This  is  a  contradiction — an  absurdity.  And  if  the  fore- 
knowledge of  God  refers  to,  and  includes,  his  infinite  wis- 
dom and  knowledge,  it  must  imply  either,  1.  His  infinite 
wisdom  and  knowledge  alone;  or,  2.  It  must  imply  more 
than  his  infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge;  or,  3.  It  must 
imply  less  than  his  infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge.  To 
allow  that  foreknowledge  is  a  perfection  of  the  Divine  na- 
ture and  character,  and  assert  that  it  is  less  than  his  infinite 
wisdom  and  knowledge,  is  to  maintain  that  God  has,  at 
least,  one  perfection  of  his  nature  that  is  not  infinite ;  and 
of  consequence,  he  is  not  absolutely  infinite  in  his  nature, 
character,  and  perfections.  Such  a  conclusion  would  be  a 
near  approach  to  atheism. 

And  the  conclusion  will  be  no  less  erroneous,  on  the 
ground  that  foreknowledge  refers  to,  and  includes,  the  infi- 
nite wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God,  to  assert  that  it  is  more 
than  infinite ;  for  that  is  an  absolute  impossibility.  It  there- 
fore follows  clearly,  that  in  contemplating  the  foreknowl- 
edge of  God,  we  are  contemplating  nothing  more  nor  less 
than  his  infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge,  operating  in  per- 
fect harmony  with  every  other  perfection  and  attribute  of 


CHAP.    VI.]  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  141 

his  nature  and  character.  And  in  the  operations  of  this 
infinite  mind,  according  to  his  foreknowledge,  or  infinite 
wisdom  and  knowledge,  God  has  given  man  his  will  or  law, 
(not  his  foreknowledge,)  as  revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
as  the  rule  both  of  our  faith  and  practice ;  which,  as  has 
been  shown  already,  recognizes  man  as  an  intelligent,  free 
moral  subject  of  the  Divine  government;  and  which,  also, 
reveals  God  to  us  as  the  infinitely  wise,  just,  good,  and  holy 
moral  governor,  and  final  judge  of  the  universe.  That  this 
is  the  light  in  which  this  subject  is  recognized  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  the  following  instance  will  show : 

"  Elect  according  to  the  foreknowledge  of  God  the  Father, 
through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  unto  obedience  and 
sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Peter  i,  2.  In 
this  Divine  declaration,  in  which  his  foreknowledge  is  so 
intimately  connected  with  man's  present  and  eternal  inter- 
ests, the  following  particulars  are  most  prominent;  namely, 
1.  The  great  end  proposed,  the  "election,"  or  the  present 
and  final  salvation  of  man.  2.  The  means  by  which  this 
end  is  to  be  obtained — "  through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit, 
unto  obedience  and  sprinkling  of  the  blood  of  Jesus  Christ. 
3.  The  origin  and  author  of  this  great  scheme  of  grace  and 
mercy  toward  man,  "  God  the  Father;"  and  this  whole  plan 
has  been  devised,  and  the  provision  made,  "according  to 
his  foreknowledge,"  or  the  infinite  wisdom  and  knowledge 
of  God.  And  that  infinite  wisdom  has  included  among  the 
means,  and  as  an  indispensable  condition  of  our  "election," 
or  salvation,  the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit  upon  our 
hearts,  enabling  us  penitently  to  believe,  and  humbly  to 
obey  the  law  and  will  of  God;  and  an  application  of  the 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ  to  our  soul,  in  our  justification,  re- 
generation, and  sanctification. 

From  which  it  must  be  clear  to  every  candid  mind,  that 
as  the  whole  system  of  human  redemption  and  salvation, 
was  arranged  and  executed  according  to  the  foreknowledge 


142  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  [CHAP.    VI. 

of  God  the  Father — that  is,  according  to  his  infinite  wisdom 
and  knowledge — unless  the  immutable  Jehovah  can  change, 
contradict  and  deny  his  own  Divine  plans,  impose  on,  de- 
ceive, and  unjustly  and  cruelly  treat  his  creatures,  his  fore- 
knowledge can  have  no  possible  influence  on  the  hearts  and 
lives  of  mankind  contrary  to  that  plan  of  government  and 
salvation,  devised  according  to  that  foreknowledge,  as  re- 
vealed in  the  Bible.  With  this  view  of  the  subject  alone, 
Universalism  has  either  to  give  up  the  claimed  support  de- 
rived from  the  foreknowledge  of  God,  or  wholly  reject  the 
Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice  to  man. 

But,  with  the  above  explanation  and  statement  of  the 
case,  we  come  next  to  inquire  more  particularly,  whether 
human  actions  certainly  foreknown  on  the  part  of  God,  are, 
thereby,  rendered  absolutely  necessary  on  the  part  of  man. 
The  whole  strength  of  this  assumption  by  Universalism, 
lies  in  the  supposed  absolute  necessity  laid  on  all  human 
conduct,  because  it  is  foreknown  with  certainty  by  the  Al- 
mighty. For  the  sake  of  argument,  we  will  allow  the  sys- 
tem to  make  that  necessity  laid  on  human  actions  just  as 
strong,  and  to  extend  it  just  as  far,  as  it  may  choose;  and 
then  it  must  follow,  1.  That  this  necessity,  whatever  may 
be  its  character,  strength,  and  extent,  must  have  an  agent, 
or  author,  in  whom  it  originates,  and  by  whom  it  is  exerted 
and  rendered  effective.  2.  This  agent,  or  author,  in  whom 
it  originates  and  that  makes  it  effective,  must  necessarily  be 
God,  or  it  must  be  man  himself. 

If  Universalism  admits  that  man,  according  to  his  own 
constitution  and  character,  in  his  own  proper  sphere  of 
moral  action,  as  an  intelligent  subject  of  God's  moral  gov- 
ernment, is  the  proper  and  responsible  origin  and  author  of 
his  own  volitions,  and  consequent  moral  conduct,  it  thereby 
relinquishes  the  whole  argument,  and  all  support  drawn 
from  the  foreknowledge  of  God.  On  the  other  hand,  if  it 
will  not  make  the  admission,  it  must  attribute  the  supposed 


CHAP.    VI.]  FOREKNOWLEDGE.  143 

necessity,  that  governs  human  conduct,  to  God  ;  and  thereby 
make  him  the  sole,  necessitating  cause,  or  author,  of  all 
the  actions  and  works  of  mankind  in  all  ages  of  the  world. 
And  as  it  is  a  fact  which  cannot  be  denied,  that  every  per- 
fection and  attribute  of  the  Divine  character  has  been  op- 
posed, every  doctrine  of  the  Bible  disbelieved,  and  every 
precept  therein  revealed,  violated  and  disobeyed  by  man ; 
and  as  God  has  declared,  as  the  Bible  everywhere  testifies, 
that  he  will  punish  the  impenitent  sinner  for  these  offenses, 
if  God's  foreknowledge  rendered  all  these  things  absolutely 
and  unavoidably  necessary,  one  of  two  conclusions  must 
inevitably  follow :  either  that  God  will  not  punish  the 
wicked  for  their  sins,  which  would  rob  the  Divine  character 
of  all  veracity,  and  make  him  utter  falsehood  on  almost 
every  page  of  the  Bible ;  or  that  he  punishes  men  for  doing 
the  very  things  which  his  foreknowledge  necessitated  them 
to  do,  and  which  they  could  not  possibly  avoid,  and  for  not 
doing  that  which  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  them  to  do. 
Atheism  itself  could  not  offer  a  greater  indignity  to  the  Di- 
vine character,  than  either  of  those  conclusions  would  be. 
From  this  brief  view  of  this  subject,  we  are  forced  to 
the  conclusion,  unless  we  reject  the  Divine  character  as 
revealed  in  the  Bible,  or  the  Bible  containing  that  revela- 
tion, that  whatever  mystery  may  belong  to  the  subject  of 
Divine  foreknowledge,  and  the  free  moral  agency  of  man, 
there  is  no  contradiction  or  inconsistency  in  believing  that 
the  infinite  Jehovah  so  constituted,  and  so  governs  man, 
that  in  his  appropriate  and  limited  sphere  of  action,  he  is 
as  much  the  author  of,  and  free  in  his  own  moral  conduct, 
as  God  is  certain  in  his  own  foreknowledge ;  and  that  the 
creation  and  government  of  such  a  being  as  man,  on  such 
just  and  equitable  principles,  is  worthy  the  character  of 
God.  Universalism  has  to  choose  between  the  alternative 
of  yielding  the  argument,  or  meeting  all  the  consequences 
that  follow  the  contrary  view  of  the  subject  already  shown. 


144  PATERNAL  LOVE  OF  GOD.       [cHAP.  VII. 

If  it  chooses  the  former,  it  o-ives  up  all  support  from  this 
source,  and  is  again  dislodg-ed  from  its  retreat,  and  must 
seek  shelter  elsewhere.  If  it  chooses  the  latter,  it  becomes 
the  advocate  of  all  the  crimes  of  every  character  and  degree 
committed  by  man  upon  earth,  and  the  traducer  of  both 
God  and  the  Bible.  The  latter,  for  prohibiting  all  sin, 
while  God's  foreknowledge  has  rendered  it  unavoidable, 
and  for  requiring  obedience  and  holiness,  when  God,  by  his 
foreknowledge,  has  rendered  them  impossible ;  the  former, 
for  first  necessitating  all  the  sin  in  the  world,  and  then  pun- 
ishing the  sinner  for  doing  what  was  unavoidable,  and  for 
not  doing  that  which  was  as  impossible  for  him  to  do,  as  it 
was  to  raise  the  dead,  command  the  sun  from  his  throne  in 
the  heavens,  or  create  a  world. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PATERNAL    LOVE    OF    GOD. 

Paternal  Love  of  God — Arguments  drawn  from  the  conduct  of 
Earthly  Parents  towards  their  Children,  false  when  applied  to  God — 
Wherein  the  falseness  of  such  Arguments  consists — Universalism 
cannot  escape  the  Consequences  that  must  follow. 

Universalism  has  long  been  in  the  habit  of  exhausting 
its  stores  of  subtilty  and  sophistry,  in  so  magnifying  some 
of  the  perfections  of  God,  and  some  of  his  relations  to 
man,  as  thereby  to  obscure,  and  virtually  destroy  others, 
and  practically  annihilate  the  harmony  of  the  Divine  char- 
acter and  administration. 

Doubtless  this  course  has  been,  and  still  is,  so  tenaciously 
adhered  to,  with  a  design  to  divert  public  attention  from  the 
real  character  of  the  system,  and  thereby  escape  exposure. 
As  God  is  called  a  Father  in  the  Scriptures,  the  system 
argues  that  all  good  earthly  fathers  will  consult  the  best 
possible  good  of  their  offspring ;  and  the  only  reason  their 
children  are  not  completely  happy,  is,  the  want  of  wisdom 


CHAP.    VII.]  PATERNAL    LOVE    OF    GOD,  145 

in  their  parents  to  devise,  and  power  to  effect  their  benevo- 
lent designs  for  their  children.  But  God,  as  a  father,  is 
not  only  infinite  in  goodness,  moving  him  to  consult  the 
best  possible  good  of  his  children ;  but  he  is  infinite  in 
wisdom  to  devise,  and  power  to  execute  his  benevolent 
plans  for  the  greatest  happiness  of  man ;  and  as  the  uncon- 
ditional salvation  of  all  mankind  in  heaven  is  the  greatest 
possible  good  to  man,  if  God  has  not  designed  this,  he  is 
less  good  to  his  children  than  an  earthly  father.  This  sup- 
position would  impeach  the  Divine  goodness  and  love. 
But  infinite  goodness  has  designed  this  for  man,  and  infinite 
wisdom  has  devised  the  scheme,  and  infinite  power  is  pledg- 
ed for  the  accomplishment  of  the  whole  work ;  and  to  sup- 
pose that  any  part  thereof  will  fail,  is  to  deny  his  infinite 
power,  and  consequently  destroy  the  Divine  character.  In 
this  argument,  the  paternal  relation  and  love  of  God  are  so 
exalted,  as  to  render  all  his  perfections,  and  all  other  rela- 
tions to  man,  merely  subservient  to  these,  in  order  to  reach 
the  conclusion  that  all  men  must  absolutely  be  saved  in 
heaven.  By  the  same  process  of  reasoning,  a  directly  op- 
posite conclusion  may  be  arrived  at.  For  example :  the 
infinite  holiness  of  God  must  prompt  him  to  inflict  the 
greatest  possible  punishment  on  all  who  oppose  his  holi- 
ness ;  but  the  greatest  punishment  is  their  unconditional 
and  endless  perdition  in  the  future  world,  and  if  he  does 
not  inflict  this  on  the  sinner,  he  is  disregardless  of  his  holi- 
ness. But  as  the  infinite  holiness  of  God  cannot  be  im- 
peached, he  has  designed  this  punishment,  and  infinite  wis- 
dom, in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  infinite  justice,  has 
devised  the  scheme ;  and  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  a 
failure,  the  infinite  power  is  pledged  to  execute  what  infinite 
holiness,  wisdom,  and  justice  have  designed.  But  who 
have  sinned  and  opposed  the  holiness  and  justice  of  God  ? 
"  We  all,  like  sheep,  have  gone  astray,"  Isaiah  liii,  6. 
*'  All  have  sinned,  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God," 


146  PATERNAL  LOVE  OF  GOD.       [cHAP.  VII. 

Romans  iii,  23.  Therefore,  all  men  must  be  endlessly 
punished. 

This  argument  on  the  infinite  holiness  and  justice  of 
God,  for  the  final,  endless  perdition  of  all  men,  is  precisely 
as  sound  and  strong  as  that  of  Universalism  on  the  infinite 
goodness  and  paternal  relation  of  God,  for  the  absolute, 
final  salvation  of  all  men.  It  is,  therefore,  indisputably 
clear,  that  a  mode  of  reasoning  that  will  support  conclu- 
sions so  diametrically  opposite,  must  be  absolutely  sophis- 
tical, and  utterly  false. 

But  take  another  view  of  this  argument.  A  good  earthly 
father  will  not  only  make  the  best  provision  for  the  future 
well-being  of  his  children,  but  will  also  consult  and  provide 
for  their  happiness  at  the  present.  Would  he  see  his  chil- 
dren growing  up  in  ignorance,  if  he  could  instruct?  Would 
he  see  them  suflfering  cold,  hunger,  thirst,  oppression,  injus- 
tice, sickness  and  death,  without  relieving  them,  if  it  was 
in  his  power  ?  Surely  not.  An  earthly  father,  who  would 
see  his  children  suffering  all,  or  any  of  these  calamities, 
without  relieving  them  if  he  could,  would  be  counted  a 
monster  of  cruelty.  Universalism,  after  presenting  the 
benevolence  of  earthly  parents,  frequently  quotes,  exult- 
ingly,  "  But  if  ye,  being  evil,  know  how  to  give  good  gifts 
unto  your  children,  how  much  more  shall  your  heavenly 
Father  give  good  things  to  them  that  ask  him?"  Matt. 
vii,  11.  As  the  Divine  Being  is  infinitely  better  than 
earthly  parents,  and  possesses  infinite  wisdom  and  power 
to  accomplish  the  plans  of  his  benevolence  to  man,  it  will 
therefore  follow,  from  this  mode  of  Universalist  reasoning, 
that  God,  as  a  father,  will  save  his  children  (all  mankind) 
from,  at  least,  all  the  sufferings  and  woes  that  a  good  earthly 
father  would  save  his  children  from.  But  what  are  the 
facts  in  the  case  ?  Are  men  thus  saved  ?  Unquestionably 
not.  To  affirm  which,  would  contradict  almost  every 
page  of  the  entire  history  of  tlie  Imman  family.     Is  there  a 


CHAP.    VII.]  PATERNAL    LOVE    OF    GOD.  147 

member  of  the  family  of  Adam,  or  will  there  be  one,  who 
has  not  suflered,  or  will  not  sujETer  more  or  less,  from  which 
a  good  earthly  father  would  not  deliver  his  children ;  or 
rather,  if  he  possessed  the  power,  would  not  prevent? 
None,  in  their  right  mind,  can  question  this ;  and  yet,  God 
has  suffered  these  untold  calamities,  in  succession,  to  befall 
man  for  nearly  six  thousand  years.  From  all  those  facts, 
it  follows,  without  a  doubt,  either,  1.  That  the  reasoning  of 
Universalism  on  this  point  is  wholly  false;  and  that  in  view 
of  all  the  perfections  of  God,  and  his  relations  to  man,  it  is 
perfectly  consistent  with  his  character  and  government  to 
allow  men  to  suffer  in  this  world,  (and  unless  the  Immutable 
can  change,  in  the  endless  world  also,  in  consequence  of 
their  depravity  and  sins,)  what  good  earthly  fathers  would 
deliver  their  children  from,  if  they  had  the  means  and  the 
power;  or,  2.  That  God  is  deficient  in  goodness,  wisdom, 
and  power;  or,  3.  That  his  goodness  requires,  and  his  wis- 
dom and  power  procure,  all  the  human  sufferings  in  the 
universe,  as  necessarily  connected  with,  and  leading  to, 
man's  greatest  good  and  final  salvation. 

To  admit  the  first,  w^ould  be  alike  totally  ruinous  on  this 
point  to  the  logic  and  theology  of  Universalism.  To  affirm 
the  second,  would  be  consummately  wicked ;  and  the  sys- 
tem has  no  ground  to  occupy  but  the  third — that  God  re- 
quires all  that  man  does  and  sufl^ers  in  this  world,  as  essen- 
tial parts  of,  and  means,  in  his  absolute  holiness  and  happi- 
ness in  heaven.  We  will  give  unquestionable  authority,  to 
show  that  this  is  the  true  position  of  Universalism. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas  says,  "  Nevertheless,  we  hold  that 
he  who  is  the  author  of,  has  the  power  to  give  to,  the 
agency  of  man  such  impulse,  and  to  his  will  such  a  direc- 
tion, as  infinite  benevolence  may  prompt.  *  *  *  Infi- 
nite wisdom  devised  the  plan  in  conformity  with  the  dic- 
tates of  infinite  lo\  e,  and  infinite  power  will  effect  the  pur- 
pose of  unbounded  grace." 


148  PATERNAL  LOVE  OF  GOD.       [cHAP.  VII. 

Mr.  J.  Kidwell,  in  giving  an  account  of  a  sermon  preach- 
ed by  himself,  and  which  converted  him  from  orthodoxy, 
referring  to  his  own  remarks  on  the  infinite  wisdom  of 
God,  says,  "  After  taking  this  sudden  flight  of  imagination 
through  infinite  space,  and  an  unbounded  eternity,  I  ob- 
served, secondly,  as  God  was  almighty  in  power,  his 
almighty  power  stood  ready  to  execute  any  plan  which 
infinite  wisdom  could  devise."  Referring  to  the  present 
state  of  things,  he  continues,  "and  had  we  the  eye  of  om- 
niscience, to  take  a  general  view  of  all  its  parts,  and  scan 
its  future  operations,  and  the  new  forms  it  may  assume,  till 
the  purposes  of  infinite  wisdom  are  consummated,  we 
would,  no  doubt,  see  the  whole  scene  resulting  in  the  su- 
preme good  of  the  universe."  Discussion  between  Kid- 
well  and  Ray,  epistle  to  the  reader,  pp.  5,  6. 

"  The  supreme  good  of  the  universe,"  according  to  Uni- 
versalism,  is  the  unconditional  salvation  of  all  mankind  in 
heaven ;  and  the  present  state  of  things,  including  all  hu- 
man sins  and  sufi'erings,  are  devised  by  infinite  wisdom, 
and  executed  by  infinite  power. 

Mr.  H.  Ballou  says,  "  By  the  infinite  wisdom  and  good- 
ness of  the  Almighty,  sin  may  be  of  advantage  even  to  the 
sinner  himself.  *  *  *  If  the  infinitely  wise  and  good, 
intended  any  one  thing  for  good,  which  we  rightly  call  sin, 
that  event,  in  respect  to  the  Divine  intention,  is  not  sin.  * 
*  1  will  now  state  two  particulars:  *  *  *  1st.  Man 
is  dependent,  in  all  his  volitions,  and  moves  by  necessity. 
2d.  The  Almighty  has  a  good  intention,  in  every  volition 
of  man.  *  *  *  It  was  in  the  system  of  Divine  wis- 
dom, that  man  should  experience  a  consciousness  of  sin 
and  guilt.  *  *  *  If  sin  and  guilt  had  never  been  intro- 
duced into  our  system,  the  plan  of  grace,  by  atonement, 
could  never  have  been  exhibited.  Sin  and  guilt  could  never 
have  existed,  providing  there  had  been  no  prohibition  com- 
municated to  the  intelligent  mind;  and,  on  the  other  hand. 


CHAP.    VII. J  PATERNAL    L  iVE    OF    GOO.  149 

if  the  mind  possessed  as  much  liberty  to  go  contrary  to  in- 
ducements, as  it  does  inclination  to  follow  them,  induce- 
ments would  have  no  possible  effect.  *  *  *  If  God 
purposed  that  man  should  come  to  the  knowledge  of  his 
own  infirmities  in  the  way  that  he  does,  he  must  have 
intended  all  the  means  whereby  the  purpose  might  be  ac- 
complished."    Ballou  on  the  Atonement,  pp.  60,  64,  65. 

This  testimony,  which  is  of  the  highest  authority, 
shows,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  doubt,  that  Universalism 
maintains  that  God  has  devised  the  plan  and  means,  and 
influences  the  agency  and  will  of  man,  so  as  infallibly  to 
lead  to  all  the  results,  both  of  the  sins  and  sufferings  of 
mankind. 

With  this  fact  developed  and  established,  let  us  again 
look  at  the  argument  raised  on  the  paternal  relation  and  love 
of  God  in  regard  to  man's  sin  and  suffering  in  this  world. 
The  love  of  God,  as  a  father,  moved  him  to  consult  the 
greatest  good  of  his  children,  (the  whole  human  family ;) 
namely,  their  unconditional  salvation  in  heaven.  "  Infinite 
wisdom  devised  the  plan ;"  but,  says  Universalism,  "  it 
was  in  the  system  of  Divine  wisdom,  that  man  should  ex- 
perience a  consciousness  of  sin  and  guilt.  *  *  *  God 
purposed  that  man  should  come  to  the  knowledge  of  his 
own  infirmities,  (sins  and  miseries,)  in  the  way  that  he 
does,  he  intended  all  the  means  whereby  the  purpose  might 
be  accomplished,"  for  "the  supreme  good  of  the  universe; 
*  *  *  and  infinite  power  will  effect  the  purpose  of  un- 
bounded grace."  Here  God,  as  a  father,  out  of  love  to  his 
children,  is  represented  as  procuring,  by  infinite  wisdom 
and  power,  all  the  sins  of  mankind  in  all  their  aggravations, 
with  all  the  consequent  sufferings  and  anguish  of  the  hu- 
man family ;  and  all  this  too,  that  he  may  be  very  gracious 
at  last  in  saving  them,  after  having  purposed  and  procured 
all  their  sins,  and  inflicted  upon  them  all  the  miseries  that 
men  have  endured  for  more  than  five  thousand  years.  What 
13' 


150  PATERNAL  LOVE  OF  GOD.      [CHAF.  VII. 

but  Universalism  could  thus  traduce  tlie  Divine  character ! 
This  argument  of  the  system,  vv^hile  it  represents  God  as 
the  father  of  the  human  family,  and  his  children  "moved 
by  necessity,'*  in  all  their  '*  volitions"  and  "actions," 
makes,  by  unavoidable  consequences,  the  Lord  of  infinite 
holiness  and  justice,  as  well  as  wisdom  and  power,  the  ac- 
tual author  of  all  the  crimes  committed  on  earth,  by  "  mov- 
ing" his  children  to  quarrel,  fig^ht,  oppress,  and  murder 
each  other ;  and  then  punishes  them  for  submitting  to  his 
purpose  with  regard  to  them. 

An  argument  involving  such  consequences,  must  be  pre- 
sumptuously false — and  such  we  have  shown  to  be  the 
character  of  this  boasted  argument  of  Universalism — and 
now  we  proceed  to  point  out  more  particularly  wherein  its 
erroneousness  consists:  1.  In  exalting  one  of  the  Divine 
perfections  to  the  disparagement  of  others ;  and,  2.  In  mag- 
nifying the  paternal  relation  of  God,  to  the  obscuring  other 
relations  of  perfectly  equal  importance  in  the  Divine  admin- 
istration ;  and,  3.  In  assuming  what  God  must  do  in  the  pa- 
ternal relation  to  man,  in  order  to  be  consistent  with  him- 
self, instead  of  reverently  receiving  the  information  from 
him,  as  revealed  in  his  holy  word,  of  what  he  has  done,  is 
doing,  and  will  do,  in  regard  to  the  creation,  redemption, 
government,  and  salvation  of  man. 

The  first  feature  of  this  error  opposes  the  unity  of  the 
Divine  nature,  by  obscuring  the  perfect  and  immutable 
equality,  infinite  and  eternal  harmony  of  those  perfections 
that  belong  to  and  constitute  that  Divine  nature  ;  for  it  is  no 
less  true,  that  God  is  infinite  and  immutable  in  holiness, 
justice,  and  truth,  than  it  is  that  he  is  infinite  in  goodness, 
wisdom,  and  power.  Any  argument  that  would  destroy 
the  immutable  equality,  infinite  and  eternal  harmony  of  all 
the  perfections  of  the  Divine  character,  is  absurd  and  dan- 
gerously false. 

The   second  feature  of  this   error  of  Universalism,  de- 


t}IAI'.    VII.]  PATERNAL    LOVK    OF    GOD.  151 

stroys  the  Divine  character,  as  the  sovereign  ruler  and 
judge  of  the  universe,  in  its  great  anxiety  to  magnify 
and  exalt  the  paternal  character  of  the  Divine  Being.  All 
the  Divine  declarations  are  alike  immutably  true;  and  it  is 
as  clearly  revealed,  that  "  the  Lord  (Jehovah)  is  our  judge, 
the  Lord  is  our  lawgiver,  the  Lord  is  our  king,"  Isaiah 
xxxiii,  22,  as  it  is,  "  Have  we  not  all  one  father?  hath 
not  one  God  created  us  ?  "  Mai.  ii,  10.  It  must,  therefore, 
be  undeniably  clear,  that  he  sustains  the  latter  relation,  in 
such  a  sense  as  to  be  infinitely  impartial  and  just  in  the  for- 
mer relation,  in  governing,  judging,  and  saving  men,  ac- 
cording to  his  law  as  revealed  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
These  Divine  truths,  while  they  at  once  destroy  the  vain 
speculations  of  Universalism  on  the  point,  call  us,  in  the 
light  of  the  law  of  the  Lord,  and  incontrovertible  facts,  to 
contemplate  the  Divine  character  and  administration  with 
the  deepest  awe,  reverence,  and  gratitude. 

The  third  feature  of  this  error,  in  assuming  what  God 
must  do  to  be  consistent  wdlh  himself,  is  full  of  arrogance 
and  presumption,  and  contradicts  the  whole  history  of  facts 
that  belong  to  the  Divine  administration.  There  could  not 
be  a  grosser  indignity  offered  to  Jehovah,  than  to  assert 
that  he,  as  the  Divine  lawgiver,  either  placed  man  under  a 
law  which  it  was  absolutely  impossible  for  him  to  obey ; 
or,  being  able  to  obey,  that  God  purposed  and  procured  the 
violation  of  his  law,  and  then  punished  the  supposed  delin- 
quent for  what  he  could  not  avoid ;  and  as  God  has  given 
laws  to  man,  as  revealed  in  the  Bible,  he  punishes  the  vio- 
lators thereof  with  his  heavy  judgments.  For  example : 
Korah  and  his  company.  Numbers  xvi,  33 ;  the  Sodomites, 
Gen.  xix,  24 ;  and  others  that  might  be  named.  It  must, 
therefore,  be  clear,  1.  That  though  God,  in  reference  to 
creation  and  providence,  is  the  common  father  of  all  men, 
he  is  also  the  sovereign  ruler  and  final  judge  of  all  men ; 
and,  2.  That  the  moral  actions  of  men  in  obedience  to,  or 


152  PATERNAL  LOVE  OF  GOD.       [cHAP.  VII. 

rebellion  against  the  Divine  government,  are  free  and  unre- 
strained. 3.  It  is  perfectly  consistent  with  his  paternal 
relation,  for  God,  in  the  solemn  character  of  sovereign 
judge,  to  inflict  the  punishment  threatened  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures  on  every  finally  impenitent  sinner,  even  endless 
perdition  ;  and  that  it  is  also  perfectly  consistent  with  this 
sovereign  relation  for  him,  in  the  gracious  character  of 
father  and  savior,  to  extend  pardon  and  salvation  to  every 
penitent  believer. 

These  principles  and  facts  are  strikingly  exemplified  in 
the  reformed  and  useful  lives,  tranquil  and  happy  deaths, 
of  those  who,  through  grace,  believe  and  obey  the  Divine 
word;  and  in  the  wicked  and  corrupt  lives,  desponding  and 
miserable  deaths,  of  those  who,  in  the  abuse  of  grace  and 
mercy,  disobey  and  rebel  against  God. 

The  only  plausible  attempt  that  Universalism  can  make 
to  escape,  is,  by  maintaining  that  all  the  supposed  judg- 
ments of  God,  and  all  human  suflferings,  are  only  the  disci- 
plinary chastisements  of  a  kind  father,  and  are  all  confined 
to  this  world.  We  will  endeavor  to  intercept  this  retreat 
at  once,  by  selecting  one  example,  from  among  many  that 
might  be  adduced.  "  And  he  smote  the  men  of  Beth-she- 
mesh,  because  they  had  looked  into  the  ark  of  the  Lord ; 
even  he  smote  of  the  people,  fifty  thousand  and  three-score 
and  ten  men :  and  the  people  lamented,  because  the  Lord 
had  smitten  many  of  the  people  with  a  great  slaughter," 
1  Samuel  vi,  19. 

In  this  case  God  acted  either,  1.  Simply  in  the  character 
of  an  indulgent  father ;  or,  2.  In  the  character  of  a  sover- 
eign executive  or  judge.  Should  Universalism  assert  the 
former,  the  facts  in  the  case  are  utterly  irreconcilable  with 
his  character  merely  as  a  father;  and  the  absurdity  of  the 
assertion,  would  be  all  the  refutation  it  would  require.  We 
are  therefore  compelled  to  admit  the  latter;  his  absolute 
majesty  as  a  judge,  as  well  as  his  mercy  as  a  father;  and 


CHAP.    VII.]  r.'.TEKNAL    LOVE    OF    GOD.  153 

that  the  Divine  will,  revealed  in  Uie  Bible,  is  llie  absolute 
rule  by  which  he  dispenses  both  mercy  and  judgment  to 
man.  But  are  these  chastisements  or  punishments  for  sin 
confined  to  this  world?  As  this  will  be  noticed  in  another 
place,  we  will  submit  but  a  few  remarks  here. 

Here  are  more  than  fifty  thousand  human  beings  smitten 
by  the  judgments  of  God,  and  hurried  instantly  into  the 
eternal  world;  and  they  must  necessarily  have  died,  under 
these  Divine  judgments,  either  holy  and  obedient  servants 
of  God,  or  depraved  and  rebellious  sinners.  If  the  former, 
it  is  utterly  impossible  to  defend  the  Divine  character,  even 
as  an  impartial  administrator  and  just  judge,  nmch  less  as 
a  merciful  and  kind  father.  But  if  the  latter  be  true,  then 
it  follows,  with  all  the  force  of  demonstration,  either,  1. 
That  they  were  taken  to  heaven  depraved  and  unholy ;  or, 
2.  They  were  morally  changed,  sanctified,  and  rendered  fit 
for  heaven  after  death ;  or,  3.  Thus  dying,  and  remaining 
unchanged  morally  after  death,  they  were  not,  and  cannot 
possibly  be  saved  in  heaven. 

To  affirm  the  first,  would  flatly  contradict  the  word  of 
God,  which  says,  "  Without  holiness,  no  man  shall  see  the 
Lord,"  Heb.  xii,  14.  To  assert  the  second,  is  to  assume 
the  very  point  to  be  proved,  and  the  point  which  is  denied; 
and  the  whole  strength  of  Universalism  may  be  challenged 
to  adduce  one  particle  of  proof  from  the  word  of  God,  in 
support  of  the  assumption  that  man  is  the  subject  of  a 
moral  change,  after  death,  from  depravity  and  sin  to  holi- 
ness and  love,  thereby  fitting  him  for  heaven. 

It  therefore  follows  inevitably,  that  men  dying  unholy, 
and  remaining  morally  unchanged,  can  never  enter  heaven, 
and  be  the  subjects  of  final  holiness  and  happiness ;  and  the 
above  is  but  an  awful  illustration  of  the  case  of  every  one 
who,  presuming  on  the  paternal  love  and  indulgence  of  God, 
as  a  father,  to  the  neglect  or  contempt  of  his  character  as 
sovereign  lawgiver,  king,  and  judge,  lives  in  the  abuse  of 


154  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

Divine  grace  and  mercy,  and  dies  in  impenitency  and  un- 
belief, and  goes  into  eternity  unforgiven  and  unholy.  And 
till  Universalism  produces  the  proof  of  a  moral  change  of 
the  soul  or  intellectual  nature  of  men  after  death,  who  die 
in  sin,  as  clear  as  that  which  God  has  proclaimed,  "  With- 
out holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  it  must  be  consid- 
ered as  a  most  dangerous  modification  of  infidelity. 

But  to  meet  the  portentous  consequences  which  threaten 
the  system,  in  the  facts  above  glanced  at,  and  in  a  virtual 
abandonment  of  the  claimed  support  from  the  paternal  love 
of  God,  Universalism  flies  to  the  doctrine  of  the  general 
resurrection,  fancying  that  it  sees  the  very  change  provided 
for,  which  the  facts  and  arguments  render  absolutely  neces- 
sary, in  order  to  save  the  system  from  hopeless  disgrace 
and  ruin.     To  that  point  we  follow  it. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE    GENERAL    RESURRECTION. 

The  General  Eesurrection — Universalist  Views  of  the  Subject — 
Testimony  of  the  Scriptures  on  the  Moral  Character  of  the  Soul, 
Spirit,  Mind,  and  Heart  of  Man — Universalist  Speculations  on  the 
Resurrection  Exposed — Assumes  that  the  Qualities  of  the  Resurrection 
Body  are  Moral  Qualities — The  Contrary  Shown — Scripture  Proofs 
on  the  Subject — On  Universalist  Principles,  the  Resurrection  of  the 
Body  and  the  Salvation  of  the  Soul  impossible. 

On  the  subject  of  the  general  resurrection  of  the  body, 
Universalism  has  shrouded  itself  in  the  deepest  mysticism  ; 
which  it  will  be  necessary,  as  far  as  possible,  to  remove,  in 
order  to  clearly  settle  the  question.  To  do  this,  we  will 
state  its  leading  peculiarities,  and  adduce  the  proof  from 
some  of  its  ablest  advocates  and  defenders. 

The  system  having  rejected  the  plain,  literal  account  of 
the  creation,  fall,  and  consequent  sinfulness  of  man,  as  re- 
corded in  the  BiMe,  inaiiitains  that  man,  in  his  spiritual  or 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  155 

intellectual  nature,  was  created  in  Christ;  and  that  this 
spirit  of  man  in  Christ,  is  an  emanation  from,  and  a  part  of 
God,  and  is,  consequently,  pure,  holy,  and  immortal  as 
God.  That  man  thus  created,  was  subsequently  formed 
out  of  the  dust  of  the  earth,  in  the  person  of  Adam ;  and 
in  this  formed  character,  soul  and  body,  he  was  corruptible 
or  mortal,  constitutionally,  and  not  so  as  the  consequence 
of  sin ;  and  at  death  the  soul  is  extinct,  and  the  immortally 
pure  spirit,  which  is  in  Christ,  returns  to  God ;  and  in  the 
general  resurrection,  all  human  bodies  will  be  made  alive  in 
Christ,  in  whom  is  this  pure  spirit;  then  man  will  return 
back  unto  God,  as  the  streams  return  unto  the  ocean,  and 
be  endlessly  happy  in  God,  not  as  individuals,  but  in  the 
aggregate,  as  a  body  with  Christ  their  glorious  head.  We 
quote  first,  Ballou  on  the  Atonement:  "Do  we  not  live, 
move,  and  have  our  being  in  God  ?  Were  we  not  created 
of  his  fullness?  Had  Deity  any  thing  of  which  to  create 
beings,  but  his  own  eternal  nature  ?  I  know  it  has  been 
said,  that  God  created  all  things  out  of  nothing,  &e.;  but 
such  an  idea  never  will  be  imbibed  by  me,  until  I  can  form, 
in  imagination  at  least,  a  notion  of  how  much  nothing  it 
takes  to  make  the  least  imaginable  something.  If  all  things 
were  created  of  the  infinite  Jehovah,  as  great  a  part  of  his 
creation  as  we  take  from  him,  so  great  a  proportion  we  take 
from  his  fullness,"  p.  90.  "  Now,  if  it  be  agreed,  that 
God  acts  for  the  good  of  himself,  considering  his  creatures 
to  belong  to  his  fullness,  I  am  perfectly  agreed,"  p.  91. 
'*  Now  there  is  no  need  of  saying  much,  where  the  truth  is 
so  easy  to  come  at.  If  Christ  be  the  image  of  God,  and 
man  was  created  in  God's  image,  it  is  plain  that  man  was 
created  in  Christ,  was  blessed  in  Christ,  and  in  Christ  set 
over  the  works  of  God's  hands,"  p.  31.  "The  nature  of 
that  spirit  (of  man  as  created  in  Christ)  being  eternal,  and 
immortally  pure,  was  opposed  to  the  passions  which  would 
immediately  rise  from  the  fleshlv  nature.      *      *     *      As 


156  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [ciIAr.    VIII. 

man  stood  in  his  created  character,  which  is  Christ,  the 
heavenly  man,  he  was  not,  at  that  time,  formed  of  the 
dust  of  the  ground,  was  not  of  the  earth  earthly,  and 
therefore  was  not  a  tiller  of  the  ground.  We  are  then 
informed,  by  the  sacred  text,  that  God  formed  (not  cre- 
ated) man  of  the  dust  of  the  ground,  breathed  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  whereby  man  became  a  living 
soul,  or  creature.  Man  is  now  a  partaker  of  flesh  and 
blood  :  is,  as  the  apostle  says,  '  made  subject  to  vanity^ 
not  willingly,  but  by  reason  of  him  who  subjected  the 
same  in  hope.'  He  has  now,  not  an  immortal,  but  a 
mortal  constitution ;  is  possessed  of  natural  appetites  and 
passions ;  and  being  unacquainted  with  the  ways  of  his 
own  imperfect  self,  knew  neither  the  good  or  evil  of  a 
mortal  state,"  p.  33.  "It  seems  reas  nable  to  conclude, 
that  man,  in  a  spiritttal  sense,  was  created  in  Christ,  the 
heavenly  nature,  as  his  body  was  formed  in  Adam,  tlie 
earthly.  And  as  all  our  bodies  come  from  that  one  for- 
mation, so  all  our  spirits  come  from  that  one  creation. 
As  it  is  by  the  nature  of  this  one  formed  creature,  that  we 
are  all  brought  into  a  state  of  morcd  death,  so  it  must  be  by 
the  spirit  of  this  one  created  man  that  all  will  be  brought, 
fmally,  to  the  enjoyment  of  spiritual  life  and  peace,'^  p. 
193.  "  I  would  argue  again  *  *  *  that  mankind,  in 
their  moral  existence,  originated  in  God.  Why  then  do 
we  deny  his  final  assimilation  with  the  fountain  whence 
he  sprang?  The  streams  and  rivulets  which  w^ater  the  hill 
country,  run  in  every  direction,  as  the  make  of  land  occa- 
sions. They  are  stained  with  various  mines  and  soils, 
through  which  they  pass;  but  at  last  they  find  their  en- 
trance into  the  ocean,  where  their  diff^erent  courses  are  at 
an  end,  and  they  are  tempered  like  the  fountain  which  re- 
ceives them.  Though  man,  at  present,  forms  an  aspect 
similar  to  the  waters  in  their  various  courses,  yet,  in  the 
end  of  his  rare,  T  liope  he   will   enjov  an  union   with  his 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  157 

God,  and  with  his  fellows,"  p.  193.  "It  will  then  be 
manifest,  that  we  are  nothing  only  as  we  exist  in  God; 
therefore,  God  will  be  all.  And  as  the  eternal  spirit  of 
love,  which  is  the  governing  principle  of  the  heavenly  man, 
will  be  the  governing  principle  of  each  soul  thus  reconciled 
to  the  law  of  love,  it  may  justly  be  said  that  God  is  in  alW^ 
p.  212.  We  give  these  extracts,  not  with  a  view  to  recon- 
cile them,  or  to  point  out  their  absurdities,  but  simply  to 
show  what  Universalism  is  on  this  point. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas,  on  the  subject  of  man's  immortality, 
says,  "I  hold  to  no  future  'life  and  immortality,'  save  that 
which  will  be  consequent  of  a  resurrection  from  the  dead. 
God  only  hath  immortality  in  himself.  *  *  *  By  Adam, 
in  the  passage  before  us,  I  understand  the  mortal  constitu- 
tion of  the  lirst  man,  who  was  of  the  earth,  earthy.  All 
the  children  of  humanity  bear  his  image,  as  a  mortal  being; 
and  in  that  image  they  must  return  to  the  dust  whence  they 
were  taken.  By  Christ,  I  understand  the  quickening  Spirit, 
the  Lord  from  heaven,  the  heavenly.  By  being  made  alive 
in  Christ,  is  signified  the  resurrection  into  a  state  of  incor- 
ruption,  power,  glory ;  in  a  spiritual  body ;  in  the  image 
of  the  heavenly,  who  is  declared  to  have  been  '  the  image 
of  the  invisible  God.'  *  *  *  The  fact  that  some  men 
are  not  in  Christ  in  the  present  life,  is  not  to  the  purpose ; 
for,  however  they  may  live  or  die,  they  will  all  be  made 
alive  in  Christ,  in  incorruption,  power,  glory;  in  a  spiritual 
body;  in  the  image  of  the  heavenly.  *  *  *  The 
Scripture  doctrine  of  the  resurrection,  exposes  the  folly  of 
the  inquiries  which  are  so  frequently  made  as  to  the  condi- 
tion in  which  a  man  has  died.  *  *  *  The  questions 
should  not  be,  How  do  mankind  die  ?  in  what  condition  do 
they  depart  ?  but,  How  are  the  dead  raised  rp  ?  and  with 
what  body  do  they  come  ?  Allow  the  sacred  Scriptures  to 
furnish  the  reply,  and  the  believer  of  the  record  will  rejoice 
in  the  assurance,  that  in  the  reswrreciion  universal  humani- 

14 


158  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [ciIAP.    VIII. 

ty  shall  walk  forth  in  the  beauty  of  holiness,  redeemed  and 
regenerated  'oy  the  quickening  Spirit  of  the  living  God.  * 
*  *  1st.  The  testimony  of  Jesus,  that  '  in  the  resurrec- 
tion they  are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of 
the  resurrection,'  destroys  the  popular  notion,  that  the  con- 
dition of  man  in  the  future  state  will  be  determined  by  his 
character  or  conduct  in  this.  Our  Savior  does  not  say,  *In 
the  resurrection  they  are  the  children  of  God,  having  been 
my  disciples  in  the  present  world.'  No.  The  assurance 
that  they  shall  be  the  children  of  God,  is  predicated  of  the 
simple  fact,  that  they  shall  be  the  children  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. 2d.  The  Holy  Spirit  does  not  speak  of  the  future 
blessedness  of  individuals,  as  such.  All  the  members  of 
the  human  family  constitute  the  body  of  which  Jesus  is  the 
head.  *  *  *  The  Holy  Spirit  has  revealed  the  future 
condition  of  mankind  as  a  whole,  and  not  as  individuals.''^ 
Theological  Discussion,  pp.  220,  275,  276,  280,  281. 

These  vain  and  presumptuous  speculations  could  easily 
be  extended,  by  quotations  from  Universalist  authors ;  but 
we  will  only  give  the  statement  of  Mr.  D.  R.  Biddlecom, 
in  the  discussion  at  Lexington,  already  alluded  to.  When 
we  charged  Universalism  with  denying  the  immortality  of 
the  soul,  Mr.  B.  gave  the  following  explanation :  "  We  do 
hold  that  the  soul  dies  with  the  body,  but  the  spirit  is  im- 
mortal." And  when  asked  what  the  spirit  of  man  is,  as 
distinguished  from  the  soul,  he  replied,  "  It  is  an  emanation 
from  God,  a  part  of  God,  immortally  pure,  and  incapable 
of  being  corrupted,  or  by  any  possibility  defiled  by  sin." 
He  also  used  much  of  the  same  language  as  quoted  above, 
and  endeavored  to  sustain,  substantially,  the  same  doctrines 
relative  to  the  resurrection,  and  its  consequences  in  the 
future  world.  It  will  be  extremely  difficult  for  the  candid 
mind  to  decide,  whether  Universalism,  on  this  point,  as 
presented  by  its  distinguished  advocates,  is  most  remarka- 
ble for  its  preposterous  assumptions,  unscriptural  absurd i- 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  159 

ties,  or  its  revolting  licentiousness.  What!  has  it  come  to 
this,. that  men  are  to  be  charged  with  "folly,"  or  called 
fools,  if  they  inquire  whether  a  man  is  in  Christ  or  not? 
If  they  inquire  how  a  man  lives  and  dies  ?  But  this  is  but 
a  specimen  of  ihe  bold  temerity  of  Universalism. 

If,  however,  there  is  any  extenuation  for  taking  such  un- 
warrantable liberties  with  the  most  solemn  subjects,  involv- 
ing the  highest  interests  of  man  in  time  and  eternity,  Uni- 
versalism may  possibly  claim  it ;  for  the  system  finds  itself 
in  such  a  position,  and  so  grievously  pressed  by  incontro- 
vertible facts,  that  it  must  sink  under  them,  unless  it  can 
escape  by  some  subtilty  or  subterfuge.     In  proof  of  this, 
we  advert,  here,  to  only  two  facts.     The  first  is,  that  men, 
in  the  most  stubborn  unbelief  of  the  revelation  of  God,  in 
utter  disregard  of  all  moral  obligation,  with  hands  stained 
in  innocent  blood,  and  hearts  full  of  revenge  and  murder, 
are  instantly  hurried  into  eternity,  without  a  moment  to  re- 
flect, reform,  believe,  or  obey.     And,  second,  in  the  entire 
revelation  of  God  to  man,  there  is  not  the  first  particle  of 
proof  that  any  moral  change,   from   sin  to  holiness,  fitting 
him  for  heaven,  is  efi'ected  on  the  soul,  spirit,  or  intellec- 
tual and  rational  nature  of  man  after  death,  and  in  the  future 
and  endless  world.     These  facts  are   so  clear  and  indispu- 
table, that  he  who  would  deny  the  former,  or  affirm  the  lat- 
ter, would,  by  all  the  intelligent  and  candid,  be  considered 
a  proper  subject  for  a  lunatic  asylum,  but  no  longer  a  fit 
subject  to  reason  with  on  this,  or  any  other  matter.     Uni- 
versalism, aware  of  the  consequences,  denies,  as  we  have 
seen,   the   immortality  of  the  soul  of  man  defiled  by  sin, 
and  has  invented  for  him   an  "  immortally  pure  spirit — a 
part  of  God,"   that  needs  no  moral  change  in  this,  or  the 
future  world  ;  and  then  sets  itself  to  prove  that  the  bodies 
of  all  mankind  will  be  raised  in   purity   and  glory,  and  be 
united  to  this  "  immortally  pure  spirit — this  part  of  God;" 


160  GENERAL    RESURRECTION  [cHAP.    VIII. 

and  then,  to  be  sure,  Universalism  will  be  sustained — prov- 
ed, even  to  a  demonstration ! 

Without  stopping  here  to  prove  the  immortality  of  the 
soul,  we  commence  with  the  examination  of  the  assump- 
tion, that  man  possesses  an  immortally  pure  spirit,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  his  mortal  and  corrupt  soul. 

In  the  language  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  terms,  heart, 
mind,  soul  and  spirit,  are  convertible,  and  used  indifferently 
to  represent  that  principle  in  man  which  perceives,  reasons, 
judges,  remembers,  and  wills,  and  which  distinguishes  him 
from  all  other  beings;  and  which  principle,  in  common 
theological  language,  is  called  the  immaterial  and  immortal 
soul,  or  spirit  of  man.  The  question  now  is,  whether  this 
principle  in  man,  when  represented  by  any  of  those  terms, 
and  especially,  by  that  of  spirit,  is  considered  to  be  natu- 
rally pure,  and  morally  holy;  needing  no  moral  change  to 
prepare  man  for  the  enjoyment  of  God  and  heaven.  The 
word  of  God  shall  setde  this  important  point.  "  Create  in 
me  a  clean  heart,  O  God ;  and  renew  a  right  spirit  within 
me,"  Psalm  li,  10.  "A  generation  that  set  not  their  heart 
aright,  and  whose  spirit  was  not  steadfast  with  God,"  Psalm 
Ixxviii,  8.  "  He  that  is  slow  to  wrath,  is  of  great  under- 
standing: but  he  that  is  hasty  of  spirit,  exalteth  folly," 
Prov.  xiv,  29.  "  But  by  sorrow  of  the  heart,  the  spirit  is 
broken,"  Prov.  xv,  18.  "Pride  goeth  before  destruction, 
and  a  haughty  spirit  before  a  fall,"  Prov.  xvi,  18.  "  He 
that  hath  no  rule  over  his  own  spirit,  is  like  a  city  that  is 
broken  down,  and  without  walls,"  Prov.  xxv,  28.  "And 
when  his  disciples,  James  and  John,  saw  this,  they  said, 
Lord,  wilt  thou  that  we  command  fire  to  come  down  from 
heaven,  and  consume  them,  even  as  Elias  did  ?  But  he 
turned,  and  rebuked  them,  and  said,  Ye  know  not  what 
manner  of  spirit  ye  are  of,"  Luke  ix,  54,  55.  "Do  ye 
think  that  the  Scriptures  saith  in  vain,  the  spirit  that  dwel- 
leth  in  us  lusteth  to  envy."  James  iv,  5.     "  And  the  very 


CHAP.    VIII.J  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  161 

God  of  peace  sanctify  you  wholly ;  and  1  pray  God  your 
whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body,  be  preserved  blameless 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Thess.  v,  23. 
*'  Having,  therefore,  these  promises,  dearly  peloved,  let  us 
cleanse  ourselves  from  all  filthiness  of  the  flesh  and  spirit, 
perfecting  holiness  in  the  fear  of  God,"  2  Cor.  vii,  1. 

According  to  this  testimony,  so  far  is  man  from  possess- 
ing an  "  immortally  pure  spirit,"  that  he  has  a  '*  wrong 
spirit" — "not  steadfast  with  God"  —  "hasty" — "fool- 
ish " — **  haughty  " — "  unruly  " — "resentful  " — "  one  that 
lusteth  to  envy" — "filthy  and  unholy" — needing  the 
"  sanctifying  and  preserving  "  power  and  grace  of  God,  to 
change  and  prepare  it  for  heaven  and  happiness.  It  follows, 
therefore,  beyond  the  power  of  successful  contradiction, 
either,  1.  That  the  Bible  wholly  misrepresents  the  moral 
condition  of  the  human  spirit,  and,  therefore,  its  testimony 
should  be  entirely  rejected;  or,  2.  That  Universalism,  in 
its  arrogant  assumptions  and  speculations,  alike  disregards 
the  majesty  of  God,  and  the  sacredness  of  his  word.  And 
that  it  may  be  seen  at  once  the  language  the  Scriptures 
hold  on  the  moral  character  and  nature  of  man,  we  adduce 
some  farther  proof,  from  the  abundance  that  might  be  brought 
forward. 

"  A  man  shall  eat  good  by  the  fruit  of  his  mouth :  but 

the  soul  of  the  transgressors  shall  eat  violence,"  Prov.  xiii, 

2.     "  The  soul  of  the  wicked  desireth  evil :  his  neighbor 

findeth  no  favor  in  his  eyes,"   Prov.   xxi,  10.     "Behold, 

all  souls  are  mine ;  as   the  soul  of  the   father,   so  also  the 

soul  of  the  son  is  mine  :  the  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall  die," 

Ezek.  xviii,  4.     "  AVill  the  Lord  be  pleased  with  thousands 

of  rams,  oi  with  ten   thousands  of  rivers  of  oil  ?     Shall  I 

give  my  first-born  for  my   transgression,   the  fruit  of  my 

body  for  the  sin  of  my  soul,"  Micah  vi,  7.     Here,  also,  as 

in  the    case   of  the   spirit   of   man,   instead    of   holiness, 

"evil " — "  sin  " — "  transgression  " — "  wickedness  " — "  vi- 
[4. 


162  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [CHAP.    VIII. 

olence  and  death,"  moral  death,  are  features  of  the  moral 
character  of  the  human  soul. 

But  let  us  see  if  there  is  any  ray  of  hope  for  Universal- 
ism,  on  the  subject  of  the  moral  purity  of  man  in  relation 
to  his  mind.  "The  sacrifice  of  the  wicked  is  abomination: 
how  much  more,  when  he  bringeth  it  with  a  wicked 
mind?"  Prov.  xxi,  27.  "But  when  his  heart  was  lifted 
up,  and  his  mind  hardened  in  pride,  he  was  deposed  from 
his  kingly  throne,  and  they  took  his  glory  from  him,"  Dan- 
iel V,  20.  "  And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God 
in  their  knowledge,  God  gave  them  over  to  a  reprobate 
mind,  to  do  those  things  which  are  not  convenient :  being 
filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication,  wickedness,  cov- 
etousness,  maliciousness ;  full  of  envy,  murder,  debates, 
deceit,  malignity;  whisperers,  backbiters,  haters  of  God, 
despiteful,  proud,  boasters,  inventers  of  evil  things,  diso- 
bedient to  parents,  without  understanding,  covenant  break- 
ers, without  natural  affection,  implacable,  unmerciful,"  Ro- 
mans i,  28-31.  "  This  I  say,  therefore,  and  testify  in  the 
Lord,  that  ye  henceforth  walk  not  as  other  Gentiles  walk, 
in  the  vanity  of  their  minds,"  Eph.  iv,  17.  "  And  you 
that  were  sometime  alienated  and  enemies  in  your  mind  by 
wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he  reconciled,"  Col.  i,  21. 
"Vainly  pufTed  up  by  his  fleshly  mind,"  Col.  ii,  18. 
"But  even  their  minds  and  conscience  is  defiled,"  Titus  i, 
15.  Instead  of  moral  purity,  we  have  in  the  light  of  this 
Divine  testimony,  a  most  humiliating  picture  of  the  deep 
depravity  of  the  human  mind:  a  "wicked"  mind — "har- 
dened in  pride" — filled  with  "vanity"  and  "enmity"— 
"vainly  puffed  up"  —  "fleshly"  —  "defiled" — "repro- 
bate"— "being  filled  with  all  unrighteousness,  fornication, 
wickedness,  covetousness,  maliciousness,  envy,  murder,  de- 
ceit, malignity." 

And  let  us  see  if  the  moral  picture  is  changed,  when  we 
look  at  the  heart  of  man.     "  And  God  saw  that  the  wicked- 


CHAP.    Mil.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  163 

ness  of  man  was  great  in  ihe  earth,  and  that  every  imagin- 
ation of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart  was  only  evil  contin- 
ually," Gen.  vi,  5.  "Every  one  that  is  proud  in  heart  is 
an  abomination  to  the  Lord,"  Prov.  xvi,  5.  "Before  de- 
struction the  heart  of  man  is  haughty,"  Prov.  xviii,  12. 
"  Burning  lips  and  a  wicked  heart,  are  like  a  potsherd  cov- 
ered with  silver  dross,"  Prov.  xxvi,  23.  "  Because  sen- 
tence against  an  evil  work  is  not  executed  speedily,  there- 
fore the  heart  of  the  sons  of  men  is  fully  set  in  them  to  do 
evil,"  Eccles.  viii,  11.  "  But  this  people  hath  a  revolting 
and  a  rebellious  heart,"  Jer.  v,  23.  "  The  heart  is  deceitful 
above  all  things,  and  desperately  wicked,"  Jer.  xvii,  9. 
"For  out  of  the  heart  proceed  evil  thoughts,  murders,  adul- 
teries, fornications,  thefts,  false  witness,  blasphemies," 
Matt.  XV,  19.  "  But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent 
heart  treasurest  up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of 
wrath  and  revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God," 
Romans  ii,  5.  Here  again  we  search  in  vain  for  native 
moral  purity  in  the  heart  of  man ;  and  instead  thereof,  find 
the  "imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his  heart" — "fully 
set  to  do  evil" — "revolting" — "rebellious"  —  "deceit- 
ful"— "impenitent"  and  "desperately  wicked." 

From  the  foregoing,  none  can  fail  to  see  the  great  impor- 
tance the  Holy  Spirit,  in  inspiring  the  Scriptures,  attached 
to  this  doctrine  of  the  depravity  of  man,  by  connecting 
it  with  all  those  terms  by  which  the  immaterial  and  rational 
principle  in  man  is  represented ;  such  as,  the  heart,  mind, 
soul,  and  spirit,  in  all  of  which  views  he  is  considered  a 
guilty  apostate  from  his  Maker,  while  morally,  "  the  whole 
head  is  sick,  and  the  whole  heart  faint.  From  the  sole  of 
the  foot  even  unto  the  head  there  is  no  soundness  in  it;  but 
wounds,  and  bruises,  and  putrifying  sores,"  Isaiah  i,  5,  6. 
And  notwithstanding  every  crime  here  enumerated  does  not 
appear  in  each  individual,  it  is  not  because  man  is  not  mor- 
ally depraved,  but  because  of  the  absence  of  a  suitable  oc- 


164  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

casion,  or  a  sufficiently  strong  temptation  to  stir  that  de- 
praved fountain,  and  in  consequence  of  the  restraining  prov- 
idence and  grace  of  God  ;  consequently,  man  in  all  things 
is  a  debtor  to  grace ;  and  if  he  possesses  moral  excellence, 
it  is  the  work  of  grace  wrought  in  him  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
changing  his  heart,  and  renewing  him  in  the  spirit  of  his 
mind  through  faith  and  obedience,  as  the  following  Scrip- 
tures clearly  show :  "  That  ye  put  off  concerning  the  for- 
mer conversation  the  old  man,  which  is  corrupt  according 
to  the  deceitful  lusts ;  and  be  renewed  in  the  spirit  of  your 
mind ;  and  that  ye  put  on  the  new  man,  which  after  God  is 
created  in  righteousness  and  true  holiness,"  Eph.  iv,  22-24. 
"  He  restoreth  my  soul,  he  leadeth  me  in  the  paths  of  right- 
eousness for  his  name's  sake,"  Psalm  xxiii,  3.  "And  1 
will  give  them  one  heart,  and  I  will  put  a  new  spirit  within 
you ;  and  I  will  take  the  stony  heart  out  of  their  flesh, 
and  will  give  them  a  heart  of  flesh :  that  they  may  walk  in 
my  statutes,  and  keep  mine  ordinances,  and  do  them :  and 
they  shall  be  my  people,  and  I  will  be  their  God,"  Eze- 
kiel  xi,  19,  20. 

While  ever  the  Bible  is  revered  as  the  word  of  God,  the 
following  points  are  incontrovertibly  established:  1.  That 
without  holiness  no  man  can  see  the  Lord,  or  be  finally 
saved  in  heaven.  2.  That  man  by  nature,  and  unchanged 
by  the  grace  of  God,  is  v/holly  destitute  of  that  holiness  ne- 
cessary to  his  final  salvation.  3.  This  moral  change  from 
depravity  and  sin  to  holiness  and  obedience,  must  be 
wrought  upon  the  moral,  spiritual,  and  intellectual  nature 
of  man  by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  4.  This  moral 
change  must  absolutely  take  place  in  man  either  in  this  or 
the  future  world,  if  at  all.  5.  All  who  die  in  infidelity,  im- 
penitency  and  crime,  are  not  thus  morally  changed  and 
made  holy  in  this  world,  and  of  absolute  consequence,  go 
into  the  future  world  unholy,  and  unfit  for  heaven,  happi-* 
ness,  and  God.    Universalism,  therefore,  has  no  alternative, 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  165 

but  either,  1.  To  reject  the  enlire  testimony  of  the  word  of 
God,  and  deny  all  the  solemn  facls  bearing  on  tliose  points  ; 
or,  2.  Find  a  remedy  in  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  for 
the  deep  depravity  and  guilt  of  the  souls  of  all  those  who 
die  unchanged  by  grace,  and  many  of  them  in  the  commis- 
sion of  the  grossest  crimes  of  which  mankind  are  capable. 

Having  clearly  shown  on  Divine  authority,  the  absurdity 
of  the  assumption  of  Universalism  with  regard  to  the  "im- 
mortal purity"  of  man's  spirit,  or  intellectual  nature,  we 
next  inquire  whether  there  is  any  thing  in  the  doctrine  of 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  that  will  relieve  the  moral  con- 
dition of  the  souls  that  have  gone,  and  may  yet  go,  into 
the  endless  world  unholy  and  unprepared  to  meet  their 
God.  "And  Jesus,  answering,  said  unto  them,  The  chil- 
dren of  this  world  marry,  and  are  given  in  marriage  :  but 
they  which  shall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that  world, 
and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,  neither  marry,  nor  are 
given  in  marriage  :  neither  can  they  die  any  more  :  for  they 
are  equal  unto  the  angels ;  and  are  the  children  of  God,  be- 
ing the  children  of  the  resurrection,"  Luke  xx,  34-36. 
This  language  of  the  Savior,  and  which,  in  substance,  is 
also  recorded  by  Mark  xii,  24,  25,  and  Matthew  xxii,  29, 
30,  (all  the  evangelists  referring  to  the  same  discourse,)  is 
supposed  by  many  to  afford  the  strongest  proof  in  favor  of 
Universalism  found  in  the  Scriptures.  The  supposed  force 
of  this  language  of  Christ  in  support  of  the  system,  lies, 
first,  in  assuming  the  very  point  which  it  should  have 
proved ;  namely,  that  Christ  is  here  treating  of  the  general 
resurrection  of  all  mankind.  But  of  this  there  is  no  proof; 
and  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  strong  reason  for  believing 
the  contrary. 

"  They  which  sliall  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that 
world,  and  the  resurrection  from  the  dead,"  most  clearly 
indicate  a  particular  resurrection,  peculiar  to  those  who 
should  be  accounted  worthy  to  obtain  that   world  in  the 


166  GENERAL    IlESURRECTION.  [CHAP.    VIII. 

sense  here  implied.  And,  furthermore,  the  inference  is 
perfectly  reasonable,  that  some  men  will  not  be  accounted 
worthy  to  obtain  tliat  world,  and  be  the  subjects  of  that  re- 
surrection in  the  peculiar  sense  in  which  they  are  here 
spoken  of.  Universalism,  fully  conscious  of  the  force  of 
this  view  of  the  subject,  makes  many  efforts  to  evade  it. 
As  Mark  and  Matthew  have  not  mentioned  the  term  "  wor- 
thy to  obtam,"  Mr.  Whittemore  asserts,  that  the  weight  of 
evidence  against  the  importance  of  this  qualifying  term  is 
as  two  to  one.  But  the  most  common  effort  to  avoid  the 
difficulty,  is  to  assume,  that  if  Christ  speaks  of  a  particular 
resurrection,  which  refers  alone  to  the  righteous,  then  the 
wicked  will  not  be  raised  at  all,  and  of  course  they  cannot 
be  punished  in  the  future  world.  There  is  just  as  much 
force  and  reason  in  this,  as  there  would  be  to  affirm,  that 
as  the  righteous  have  to  die  and  pass  out  of  this  world,  in 
order  to  gain  and  enjoy  heaven,  therefore,  if  the  wicked  are 
not  received  into  heaven,  when  they  leave  this  world,  they 
will  not  die  at  all,  but  always  remain  in  this  world.  This 
is  another  instance  of  the  presumption  of  the  system,  in 
dictating  how  and  what  Jesus  Christ  must  teach. 

Having  taken  the  ground  that  Christ  is  speaking  of  the 
general  resurrection,  the  system  assumes,  in  the  second 
place,  that  the  declaration,  "are  as  the  angels  of  God  in 
heaven  *  *  *  equal  unto  the  angels,"  refers  to  man's 
moral  condition,  and  proves,  that  in  the  resurrection  the 
whole  human  family  will  be  holy  and  happy  in  heaven. 

To  deprive  Universalism  of  all  possible  support  from 
this  source,  it  is  only  necessary  to  show  that  Christ  was 
not  treating  of  the  moral  condition  of  man,  but  of  his  relative 
condition.  The  Sadducees,  who  were  the  occasion  of  this 
discourse,  denied  the  future  existence  of  both  the  soul  and 
body  of  man,  and  of  consequence,  disbelieved  in  any  moral 
condition  whatever  after  death ;  this,  therefore,  could  form 
no  part  of  their  inquiry.     And  the  case  they  adduced,  they 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  107 

supposed,  would  entirely  refute  the  doctrine  of  the  immor- 
tality of  man,  and  confound  the  Savior,  as  it  presented  an 
insuperable  obstacle,  according  to  the  relative  condition  of 
human  society  in  this  world.  The  Divine  Savior  charges 
them  with  ignorance  and  error.  First,  ignorance  of  the 
Scriptures,  which  teach  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and 
demonstrates  it  in  the  most  concise  and  unanswerable  man- 
ner. 1.  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of  the  living. 
2.  But  he  is  the  God  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob.  3. 
Therefore,  Abraham,  Isaac  and  Jacob  live;  their  souls 
are  immortal,  notwithstanding  the  death  of  their  bodies. 

But,  second,  ignorance  of  the  power  of  God,  which  is 
as  competent  to  raise  the  body  from  the  dead,  as  it  was  to 
create  the  body  of  man  at  the  first ;  in  view  of  which,  the 
future  existence  of  man,  soul  and  body,  is  perfectlv  reason- 
able. 

And,  third,  ignorance  of  the  relative  condition  of  man ; 
for,  instead  of  conjugal  relations  existing  in  the  resurrection 
state,  they  are  as,  or  equal  to,  the  angels  in  heaven — the 
angels  of  God  relatively.  1.  In  this,  that  they  neither 
marry,  nor  are  given  in  marriage.  2.  For  there  is  no  ne- 
cessity in  the  economy  of  God  for  such  relation  in  the  future 
world,  as  there  is  in  this,  in  order  to  perpetuate  the  human 
race  on  earth.  3.  Because  they  can  die  no  more,  and  there- 
fore, are  equal  to  the  angels  of  God  in  heaven.  That  it 
was  the  relative,  and  not  the  moral  condition  of  man  in  the 
future  world  the  Redeemer  was  establishing,  will  appear 
beyond  a  doubt,  w^hen  it  is  recollected  that  the  clearest  ac- 
count of  the  future  moral  condition  of  man  would  not  have 
met  the  case  under  consideration. 

For  example  :  Suppose  the  Savior,  in  reply  to  the  inquiry 
of  the  Sadducees,  "  AVhose  wife  shall  she  be  ?"  had  said, 
"In  the  resurrection  they  are  all  morally  holy;"  they  might 
have  answered,  "  These  seven  brethren,  and  the  woman 
of  whom  we   inquire,   were   all  morally   holy,"   ffor  none 


168  CEXF.RAL    KESURRFXTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

can  say  that  they  were  not.)  But  if  this  were  not  the  fact, 
there  were  others  who  sustained  tliis  conjugal  relation;  for 
instance,  Job,  Noah,  Isaiah,  Daniel,  Ezekiel,  David,  and 
numerous  others,  to  whose  piety  and  holiness  God  has 
borne  the  most  unquestionable  testimony  ;  therefore,  this 
relation  is  not  incompatible  with  the  most  exalted  piety  and 
moral  holiness  ;  and  if  so,  the  question  would  still  recur, 
"Whose  wife  will  she  be  in  the  resurrection?"  and  the 
Sadducees  would  have  been  left  in  the  proud  possession  of 
their  pernicious  heresy,  to  the  great  confusion  of  truth  and 
its  holy  Author. 

From  the  above,  and  the  additional  fact,  that  in  this  whole 
case,  as  here  treated,  Christ  has  not  mentioned  the  moral 
condition  of  man  in  the  resurrection,  (which  is  truly  sur- 
prising, if  that  was  the  point  he  intended  to  establish,)  the 
conclusion  cannot  be  avoided,  that  he  was  not  treating  of 
man's  future  moral  condition;  because,  1.  He  never  men- 
tions it  in  this  entire  part  of  the  discourse ;  and,  2.  If  he 
had  presented  this  in  the  clearest  light  possible,  it  would 
not  have  met  the  error  of  the  Sadducees,  and  corrected  public 
opinion  on  this  point,  so  far  as  they  had  influence ;  but  that 
he  was  treating  of  the  relative  state  of  man  after  the  resurrec- 
tion ;  for,  1.  This  precisely  met  the  error  against  which 
this  discourse  of  the  Savior  was  directed ;  and,  2.  It  was 
so  understood  and  felt  by  all  present,  and  especially  the 
Sadducees  themselves,  whose  error  was  so  unanswerably 
refuted,  and  they  silenced  and  confounded  before  the  audi- 
ence. So  far,  then,  this  testimony  renders  no  shadow  of 
support  whatever  to  Universalism. 

But  there  is  one  other  declaration  of  our  Lord  in  this 
discourse,  on  which  the  system  depends  with  equal,  if  not 
more  confidence  for  support,  than  any  other;  namely,  "  And 
are  the  children  of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrec- 
tion." In  this,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  supposed  support 
derived  from  this  lanjrnasfe  consists  in   the  assumption  of 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  169 

the  system.  Il  assumes,  that  to  be  the  children  of  God  in 
any  sense,  is  necessarily  to  constitute  such  children  holy 
and  happy.  For,  let  it  be  admitted,  that  men  may  be  the 
children  of  God  in  some  sense,  and  yet  that  relation  not 
necessarily  constitute  them  holy  and  happy;  and,  with  this 
admission,  Universalism  must  demonstrate,  before  it  can 
derive  any  support  from  this  source,  that  to  be  the  children 
of  God  in  the  sense  contemplated  in  the  text,  is  not  to  be 
his  children  in  that  very  sense  which  the  relation  itself  does 
not  necessarily  imply,  i.  e.,  holiness  and  happiness.  But 
such  demonstration  can  never  be  made  out. 

However,  let  us  look  at  this  a  little  further  in  the  light  of 
the  Divine  word,  and  see  if  to  be  the  children  of  God,  in 
every  sense  in  which  that  relative  term  is  used,  is  necessa- 
rily to  possess  moral  holiness,  and  thereby  to  be  constituted 
happy.  The  following  will  afford  light  on  this  subject: 
*'Adam,  which  was  the  son  of  God,"  Luke  iii,  38.  "Ye 
are  the  children  of  the  Lord  your  God:  ye  shall  not  cut 
yourselves,  nor  make  any  baldness  between  your  eyes  for 
the  dead,"  Deut.  xiv,  1.  Here  the  whole  people  of  Israel 
are  the  children  of  God  ;  but  will  any  one  say  that  the  rela- 
tion constituted  them  individually  holy  and  happy  ?  Surely 
not.  "Hear,  O  heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth:  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken :  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up  chil- 
dren, and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  *  *  *  Chil- 
dren that  are  corrupters !  they  have  forsaken  the  Lord : 
they  have  provoked  the  Holy  One  of  Israel  unto  anger ; 
they  are  gone  away  backward,"  Isaiah  i,  2-4.  "  Do  ye 
thus  requite  the  Lord,  O  foolish  people  and  unwise?  Is 
not  he  thy  Father  that  hath  bought  thee  ?  Hath  he  not 
made  thee,  and  established  thee?"  Deut.  xxxii,  6.  "  Have 
we  not  all  one  Father?  Hath  not  one  God  created  us? 
Why  do  we  deal  treacherously  every  man  against  his 
brother,  by  profaning  the  covenant  of  our  fathers  ?"  Mai. 
ii,  10.  From  these,  and  other  passages  that  might  be  quo- 
1.^ 


170  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

led,  it  is  seen  that  mankind  sustain  the  relation  of  children 
of  God,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  they  are  the  subjects  and 
objects  of  his  creation,  providence,  and  redemption ;  and  in 
no  instance,  since  the  fall  of  man,  does  this  fraternal  rela- 
tion necessarily  imply  moral  holiness  and  happiness.  And, 
indeed,  so  far  from  it,  that  those  very  people  who  are  thus 
related  to  God,  are  charged  with  folly,  treachery,  ingrati- 
tude, rebellion,  and  crime. 

It  is,  therefore,  undeniably  clear,  that  men  may  be  the 
children  of  God  in  such  a  sense,  as  for  that  relation  itself 
not  necessarily  to  constitute  them  either  holy  or  happy. 
It  only  remains  to  be  shown,  that  this  fact  applies  to  the 
resurrection  state,  as  treated  by  our  Lord  in  the  case  before 
us.  And,  1.  Throughout  the  entire  testimony  of  Divine 
revelation,  where  men  are  recognized  as  possessing  moral 
holiness,  and  are  thereby  constituted  morally  and  spiritually 
the  children  of  God,  this  relation,  and  this  moral  change, 
are  attributed  wholly  to  the  grace  and  Spirit  of  God.  "  For 
by  grace  are  ye  saved,  through  faith,"  Eph.  ii,  8.  "  For 
ye  are  all  the  children  of  God,  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus," 
Gal.  iii,  26.  "  The  Spirit  itself  beareth  witness  with  our 
spirit,  that  we  are  the  children  of  God,"  Romans  viii,  16. 
But,  2.  The  resurrection  of  the  body  is  ascribed  wholly  to 
omnipotent  power :  "Ye  do  err,  not  knowing  the  power 
of  God,"  by  which  the  resurrection  will  be  effected.  And 
to  guard  this  point,  Christ  says,  "  They  are  the  children 
of  God,  being  the  children  of  the  resurrection ;"  that  is, 
being  the  subjects  of  his  omnipotent  power  in  their  resur- 
rection, they  will  be,  on  that  account,  his  children,  in  a 
sense  similar  to  that  in  which  ail  men  are  his  children  by 
his  omnipotent  power  in  their  creation  and  preservation. 

By  this  view  of  the  subject,  the  Savior  cut  off  all  licen- 
tious abuse  of  the  doctrine  of  the  general  resurrection  ;  for, 
as  men  are  the  children  of  God  by  his  power  in  creating 
and  preserving  them,   without  necessarilv  beinff  holv    or 


CHAP.    VIII. J  GENERAL    RESURRECTION,  171 

happy  on  that  account  alone;  so,  also,  they  may  be  his 
children  by  his  power  in  their  resurrection,  without  being 
either  holy  or  happy.  And  as  it  is  an  immutable  truth, 
that  without  holiness  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord;  therefore, 
men  must  look  to  the  fullness  of  God's  grace  in  the  sancti- 
fication  of  their  souls,  instead  of  relying  exclusively  on  the 
omnipotence  of  his  power,  in  the  resurrection  of  their 
bodies,  as  the  ground  and  hope  of  their  holiness  and  happi- 
ness, either  in  this,  or  the  future  world. 

And,  again,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  could  not  intend,  in 
the  declarations  before  us,  to  contradict  what  he  had  pre- 
viously said  in  the  same  discourse ;  and  as  it  has  been 
already  shown,  that  he  was  establishing  a  point  of  relative, 
and  not  moral  condition,  in  the  future  world,  this  language 
must  necessarily  be  understood  in  the  same  light ;  and  when 
so  understood,  the  whole  is  a  lucid  and  unanswerable  refu- 
tation of  the  licentious  and  dangerous  dogma  of  the  Saddu- 
cees,  which  is  only  exceeded  by  that  of  Universalism. 
Understood  in  the  Universalist  sense,  Christ  not  only  fails 
to  refute  the  Sadducean  error;  but  gives  license,  indi- 
rectly, at  least,  to  every  error  and  crime  that  men  may  em- 
brace, or  commit. 

That  this  charge  against  the  system  may  not  appear 
more  severe  than  true,  we  remark,  that  Jesus  Christ,  ia 
this  discourse,  either  did,  or  he  did  not,  intend  to  teach  and 
support  Universalism.  If  he  did  not,  the  system  is  guilty 
of  an  unpardonable  and  wicked  perversion  of  the  language 
and  teaching  of  the  Lord.  If  he  did,  then  his  true  mean- 
ing would  be  as  follows:  "Although  the  Sadducees  may 
deny  the  immortality  of  the  soul  and  the  resurrection  of 
the  body — the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  may  reject  the  grace 
of  God,  and  claim  heaven  on  the  merit  of  their  own  works— 
the  Jews,  as  a  nation,  may  reject  Christ — infidels  may  re- 
ject the  Bible — atheists  may  reject  the  existence  of  God — 
and  all  men,  to  the  latest  generation,  may  follow  their  ex- 


172  GENERAL    RESUKKECTION.  [CHAP.    Vlll. 

ample,  and  live  and  die  in  all  this  error,  infidelity,  atheism, 
and  crime,  and  yet  be  as  absolutely  sure  of  holiness  and 
happiness  in  heaven  in  the  resurrection,  as  if  they  were  now 
actually  in  the  enjoyment  thereof! 

Till  men  can  believe  that  the  Divine  Savior  was  the 
teacher  and  promoter  of  all  possible  error  and  corruption, 
they  can  never  believe  that  he  intended  to  teach  any  such 
doctrine;  and  till  they  believe  this,  they  can  never  honestly 
believe  that  he  intended  to  teach  Universalism  in  the  doc- 
trine of  the  resurrection.  And  if  we  are  not  prepared  to 
attribute  such  a  character  to  the  blessed  Savior,  we  are  com- 
pelled to  the  belief,  that  so  far  was  he  from  teaching  the  pe- 
culiarities of  the  system,  that  it,  with  all  other  pernicious 
errors,  are,  by  his  holy  example  and  Divine  teaching, 
stamped  indellibly  with  his  condemnation,  and  held  answer- 
able, with  all  their  consequences,  to  the  bar  of  "  eternal 
judgment." 

Here,  then,  is  one  of  the  main  positions  of  Universalism 
removed,  as  it  regards  the  general  resurrection.  Its  next, 
and  only  retreat,  is  to  the  fifteenth  chapter  of  Paul's  first 
epistle  to  the  Corinthians.  Let  us  try  its  strength  here. 
Many  of  the  most  learned,  pious,  and  able  commentators 
and  divines,  understand  the  apostle  here,  in  his  description 
of  the  resurrection  body,  to  refer  particularly  to  the  right- 
eous ;  and  this  opinion  is  not  without  its  reasons.  But  as 
Universalism  denies  this,  and  applies  the  apostle's  descrip- 
tion to  the  whole  human  family  indiscriminately,  we  will 
waive  any  other  view,  and  meet  the  system  on  the  favorite 
ground  of  its  own  selection.  The  declarations  of  the  apos- 
tle mostly  relied  on  for  support,  are  the  following:  '*  For  as 
in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive. 
*  *  *  So  also  is  the  resurrection  of  the  dead.  It  is 
sown  in  corruption;  it  is  raised  in  incorruption :  it  is 
sown  in  dishonor;  it  is  raised  in  glory :  it  is  sown  in  weak- 
ness ;  it  is  raised  in  power :  it  is  sown  a  natural  body  ;  it  is 


CHAP.    VIII. J  VIKNKUVL    RESURRECTION.  l^ 

raised  a  spiritual  body.  *  *  *  So  when  this  corrupti- 
ble shall  have  put  on  incorruption,  and  this  mortal  shall 
have  put  on  immortality,  th  n  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the 
saying  that  is  written.  Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory. 
O,  death,  where  is  thy  sting?  O,  grave,  where  is  thy  vic- 
tory?" verses  22,  42,  43,  44,  54,  55. 

The  declaration,  that  "  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive," 
is  collated  with,  *'  If  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new 
creature,"  2  Cor.  v,  17,  on  which  the  following  argument 
is  raised,  as  the  main  support  of  the  system  on  this  ques- 
tion ;  namely,  all  who  are  in  Christ  are  new  creatures,  and 
continuing  in  him  must  be  endlessly  holy  and  happy.  But 
in  the  resurrection  all  will  be  made  alive  in  Christ,  and  will 
for  ever  abide  in  him ;  therefore  in  the  resurrection  all  man- 
kind will  be  endlessly  holy  and  happy  in  heaven. 

We  have  given  this  supposed  argument  all  the  force  it 
can  possibly  claim,  that  its  fallacy  may  be  the  more  clearly 
exposed,  and  the  word  of  God  rescued  from  its  perversions. 
Its  supposed  strength  lies  in  assuming,  that  man's  relation 
to  Christ,  as  referred  to  in  both  these  texts,  is  precisely  the 
same  as  it  regards  his  soul  and  body  in  this  and  the  future 
world.  If  the  contrary  of  this  can  be  fully  shown,  the 
conclusion  must  utterly  fail. 

It  would  be  little  less  than  mere  trifling,  to  spend  time  m 
proving  that  the  declaration,  "In  Christ  shall  all  be  made 
alive,"  refers  exclusively  to  the  body;  and  the  life  spoken 
of,  to  the  future  state  after  the  resurrection ;  and  that  this 
work  of  raising  the  body  from  death,  will  be  accomplished 
unconditionally  on  all  our  race.  It  only  remains,  therefore, 
to  be  shown,  that  the  language,  "If  any  man  be  in  Christ, 
he  is  a  new  creature,"  refers  to  the  soul,  and  takes  place  in 
this  life,  on  conditions  of  faith  and  obedience.  Of  this  the 
candid  cannot  entertain  a  doubt,  when  they  hear  the  apostle 
say,  "  Now,  he  that  hath  wrought  us  for  the  self-same  thing 
is  God,  who  also  hath  sfiven  us  the  earnest  of  the  Spirit. 
15* 


174  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

Therefore  we  are  always  contident,  knowing  that,  while 
we  are  at  home  in  the  body,  we  are  absent  from  the  Lord : 
for  we  walk  by  faith,  not  by  sight.  *  *  *  Therefore, 
if  any  man  be  in  Christ  (by  faith)  he  is  a  new  creature," 
2  Cor.  V,  5,  6,  17.  "For  in  Jesus  Christ  neither  circum- 
cision availeth  any  thing,  nor  uncircumcision ;  but  faith 
which  worketh  by  love,"  Gal.  v,  6.  "  For  we  are  his 
workmanship,  created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  (or  prepared)  that  we 
should  walk  in  them,"  Eph.  ii,  10.  And  "  if  a  man  abide 
not  in  me,  he  is  cast  forth  as  a  branch,  and  is  withered ; 
and  men  gather  them,  and  cast  them  into  the  fire,  and  they 
are  burned,"  John  xv,  6.  From  this  testimony,  which  is 
but  a  fraction  of  what  might  be  adduced,  it  is  seen,  that 
those  of  whom  it  is  said,  "  if  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a 
new  creature,"  are  such  as  are  "  at  home  in  the  body," 
"  walking  by  (that)  faith  which  worketh  by  love,"  being 
"created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works,"  God  requiring 
that  they  should  walk  therein ;  and  if  tliey  do  not,  so  far 
from  being  new  creatures  in  Christ,  they  are  cast  forth  as 
branches,  withered,  dead,  and  will  be  gathered  and  cast  into 
the  fire. 

The  application  of  those  texts,  which  are  quoted  as  par- 
allels, to  sustain  Universalism,  can  now  be  seen  with  clear- 
ness. "If  any  man  be  in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature," 
refers,  1.  Exclusively  to  the  moral  state  of  the  soul,  and 
has  no  special  reference  to  the  body  whatever;  for  the 
body  of  the  most  pious  is  as  much  subjected  to  pain,  infir- 
mities, and  death,  as  the  body  of  the  most  profane ;  while 
the  assertion,  "  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive,"  has  ex- 
clusive reference  to  the  body.  2.  The  former  refers  to  men 
in  this  world;  for  it  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  ex- 
ercise of  faith  that  works  by  love ;  but  in  the  future  world 
we  will  not  walk  by  faith,  for  "  Ave  shall  see  him  (Christ) 
as  he  is, "1  John  iii.  2.     But  the  latter  refers  to  the  body  ex- 


CHAP.    Vlll.]  GExNERAL    RESURRECTION.  176 

cliisively  in  the  world  to  come,  at  and  subsequently  to  the 
resurrection.  3.  In  the  former  case,  this  relation  to,  and 
connection  with,  Christ,  are  received  alone  on  conditions  of 
faith  and  obedience;  for  "neither  circumcision  nor  iincir- 
cumcision  availeth,  but  faith  that  worketh  by  love."  This 
connection  with  Christ  must  be  continued  through  life,  and 
consummated  in  heaven  on  the  same  conditions,  and  is  a 
work  of  sovereign  Divine  grace,  delivering  the  soul  from 
the  power  of  sin  in  this  world.  "Be  thou  faithful  unto 
death,  and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life,"  Rev.  ii,  10. 
But  if  a  man  does  not  continue  faithful  he  is  cast  forth  to 
be  burned ;  while  in  the  latter  case,  it  is  effected  uncondi- 
tionally, in  the  case  of  every  member  of  the  human  family, 
without  any  regard  to  moral  character  whatever;  and  is  the 
w^ork  of  sovereign  Divine  power,  delivering  the  body  from 
the  power  of  temporal  death  in  the  future  world.  It  would 
not.  therefore,  be  a  more  presumptuous  perversion  of  the 
word  of  God,  to  adduce  the  apostolic  declaration,  that  "all 
shall  be  made  alive  in  Christ,"  to  prove  that  all  men  are 
now  "  new  creatures  in  Christ,"  by  living  faith,  perseve- 
ring obedience,  and  entire  devotedness  to  God  in  all  possi- 
ble holiness  of  heart  and  life,  (while  facts  all  over  the  world 
would  contradict  it.)  than  it  is  to  adduce,  "  if  any  man  be 
in  Christ  he  is  a  new  creature,"  to  prove  that  all  men  will 
be  finally  and  unconditionally  holy  and  happy  in  the  resur- 
rection. Probably  no  one  circumstance  has  contributed 
more  to  make  proselytes  to,  and  keep  this  covert  infidelity 
in  countenance,  than  its  ingenious  perversion  and  misapplica- 
tion of  the  word  of  God.  In  this  lies  its  strength  with  those 
who  are  not  accustomed  to  close  thinking  and  investigation. 
With  the  false  arguments  detected,  and  the  unwarranta- 
ble liberty  the  system  takes  with  the  word  of  God  exposed, 
we  are  prepared  to  see  the  proper  meaning  of  those  Scrip- 
tures which  teach  the  doctrine  of  the  general  resurrection. 
Tliis  doctrine  having  been  denied  by  some;  and  having  re- 


176  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

futed  the  error,  by  proving  the  fact  of  the  resurrection  of 
the  body  of  Christ,  the  apostle  proceeds  to  establish  the 
general  resurrection,  by  presenting  Adam  and  Christ  in 
their  public  and  representative  characters.  "  As  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive."  That 
is,  as  by  the  act  of  Adam,  as  the  moral  representative  of 
man,  in  violating  the  law  of  God,  all  mankind  were  made 
subject  to  death — temporal  death,  of  which  he  is  now  speak- 
ing ;  the  proof  of  which  is  seen  in  the  universal  mortality 
of  man — so,  also,  by  the  act,  or  omnipotent  power  of  Je- 
sus Christ  in  the  general  resurrection,  shall  all  human  bo- 
dies be  made  alive ;  the  unquestionable  assurance  of  which 
we  have  in  his  own  resurrection. 

The  correctness  of  this  view  will  be  seen  from  the  fol- 
lowing: 1.  That  in  referring  to  this  universal  death  of  the 
body,  by  the  act  of  Adam,  no  reference  is  made  to,  or  dis- 
tinction between  the  bodies  of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
but  all  are  alike  subjects  of  this  death;  from  which  it 
must  be  clear,  that  it  was  the  fact  of  the  universal  death  of 
the  body,  and  not  the  holiness  or  happiness  of  the  soul  that 
was  the  subject  of  investigation,  2.  It  is  affirmed  that 
Christ  will  counteract  this  universal  death  of  the  body,  by 
a  universal  resurrection  thereof;  from  which  it  is  equally 
clear,  that  the  moral  condition  of  man  after  the  resurrection, 
was  no  more  the  subject  of  investigation  in  this  place,  than 
it  was  before  death ;  but  only  the  fact  that,  without  regard 
to  moral  character  in  this  life,  the  resurrection  by  Jesus 
Christ  shall  be  as  universal  as  death  was  by  Adam.  This 
is  clearly  the  apostle's  meaning. 

The  incorruption,  glory,  power,  and  spirituality  of  the 
resurrection  body,  as  described  by  the  apostle,  are  consid- 
ered by  Universalism  to  be  wholly  incompatible  with  the 
above  view,  and  are  claimed  in  proof,  little  less  than  de- 
monstration, of  the  unconditional  happiness  and  glory  of  all 
mankind  in  heaven.     We    have   heard    Universalists  say, 


rHAP.     VIII. J  GENERAL    KEyURKECTlUN.  177 

"  they  had  very  little  concern  about  the  soul,   while  they 
had  such  a  complete  salvation  for  the  body." 

Waiving  the  fact,  that  there  is  reason  to  believe  this  to  be 
a  description  of  the  state  of  the  righteous  in  the  resurrec- 
tion, we  meet  the  supposed  fm-midable  position  on  the 
ground  of  the  system's  own  choice.  It  will  not  be  denied, 
we  presume,  that  the  apostle  strikingly  contrasts  the  natural 
weakness,  dishonor,  and  corruption  of  this  present,  dying 
body,  with  the  opposite  qualities  in  the  resurrection  body. 
Now,  the  whole  strength  of  this  Scripture,  in  its  supposed 
support  of  Universalism,  lies  in  assuming  that  those  quali- 
ties of  the  resurrection  body  are  moral  qualities ;  and  con- 
stitute the  body,  in  the  abstract,  morally  holy,  and  conse- 
quently, a  fit  subject  for  happiness  in  heaven.  But  of  this 
assumption,  so  vital  to  the  system,  there  is  not  only  no 
proof,  but,  as  we  conceive,  abundant  evidence  to  the  con- 
trary. The  system  may  be  safely  challenged,  to  adduce  a 
single  text  in  the  Divine  record,  where  moral  holiness,  in 
the  proper  use  of  the  term,  is  ever  applied  to  the  body  sim- 
ply, when  separated  from  the  soul ;  and,  in  the  absence  of 
all  evidence  on  the  one  hand,  we  have,  on  the  other,  the 
most  indisputable  matters  of  fact. 

Moral  powers  and  qualities,  strictly  speaking,  are  insep- 
arably connected  with  intelligence,  intellect,  or  mind.  If 
this  were  not  the  fact,  there  can  be  no  reason  assigned,  why 
we  should  not  see  moral  holiness,  or  unholiness,  in  all  the  un- 
intellectual  beings  and  objects  in  the  world.  It  is  with  strict 
reference  to  this  fact,  that  the  whole  Divine  government, 
and  all  just  and  wise  human  governments,  are  formed  and 
administered.  And  as  the  human  body,  separate  and  apart 
from  the  soul,  or  mind,  is  utterly  destitute  of  intelligence, 
and  consequendy,  of  moral  powers  and  qualities,  it  is 
neither  worthy  of  praise  or  blame  in  this  separate  state, 
and  is  so  considered  by  both  human  and  divine  laws  and 
government. 


178  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [ciIAP.    VIII. 

This  is  strictly  true  of  the  very  features  of  frailty  by 
which  our  natural  bodies  are  characterized  in  the  text  before 
us ;  for,  though  corruptible,  weak,  and  dishonored,  by 
reason  of  decay  and  death,  they  are  not  charged  with  being 
morally  guilty  or  unholy.  The  only  sense,  therefore,  in 
wliich  the  body  can  be  morally  holy  or  unholy,  is  instru- 
mentally;  when  connected  with  a  regenerated  and  pious 
soul,  it  will  be  the  instrument  in  works  of  holy  obedience 
and  usefulness ;  when  connected  with  a  soul  that  is  im- 
pious, it  will  be  the  instrument  of  w^orks  of  impiety  and 
rebellion  against  God.  It  only  remains  to  be  seen,  whether 
this  principle,  so  demonstrable  in  relation  to  the  body  in 
this  world,  will  be  totally  annihilated  in  reference  to  the 
resurrection  body  ;  and  if  it  is  not,  it  will  then  be  perfectly 
clear  that  the  qualities  described,  and  belonging  to  that  body, 
so  far  from  being  moral  qualities,  are  only  the  constitution 
of  that  body  by  which  it  is  fitted  for  an  eternal  union  with 
the  immortal  soul,  and  from  which  it  will  receive  its  moral 
character,  relative  and  instrumental.  Now,  if  it  be  a  fact, 
as  has  been  shown,  that  moral  holiness  cannot  exist  with- 
out intelligence,  or  mind,  before  Universalism  can  derive 
any  support  from  this  source,  it  must  clearly  demonstrate, 
that  the  resurrection  body,  previously  to  its  re-union  with 
the  immortal  spirit,  will  possess  intelligence,  or  mind.  But 
this  is  so  derogatory  to  every  view  of  the  subject  derived 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  that  nothing  but  the  desperation 
of  a  sinking  system,  and  the  most  presumptuous  disregard 
of  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God,  could  lead  to  such  a 
conclusion.  And,  indeed,  the  assumption,  if  the  system 
should  be  bold  enough  to  make  it,  so  far  from  relieving  the 
case,  would  only  establish  the  principle ;  for  it  would  be 
conceding  at  once,  that  the  unintelligent  body  did  not,  in 
and  of  itself,  possess  moral  qualities ;  and  whatever  of 
moral  character  or  holiness  it  can  be  the  subject  of,  is  in 
consequence  of  its  intelligence.     This   would  not  onlv   be 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  179 

to  yield  the  question  in  dispute,  but  would  make  man  in 
the  resurrection  state  to  possess  a  two-fold  intelligence,  each 
separate  and  distinct  from,  and  independent  of  the  other; 
therefore,  unknown,  and  unheard  of  in  the  Bible.  This, 
if  it  could  be  fully  demonstrated,  so  far  from  proving  Uni- 
versalism  from  the  Bible,  would  prove,  by  Universalism, 
that  the  Bible  wholly  misrepresents  the  case,  is  utterly  un- 
true, and  is  not  to  be  depended  upon  at  all,  in  this,  or  any 
other  matter  of  interest  to  man. 

These  consequences  can  only  be  avoided,  by  admitting 
that  the  peculiarities  of  the  resurrection  body  simply,  will 
consist  in  that  constitution  which  will  form  the  perfect  con- 
trast with  its  present  character.  Its  great  dishonor  consists 
in  its  weakness  and  corruption  as  a  natural  body  ;  but  these 
are  not  moral,  but  merely  natural  qualities  in  man's  fallen 
state,  which  produce  its  mortality.  Its  glory  will  consist 
in  its  power  and  incorruption  as  a  spiritual  body,  which 
will  constitute  its  immortality ;  but  these,  as  we  have  seen, 
are  no  more  moral  properties  in  the  resurrection  body,  than 
their  opposites  are  in  our  present  bodies  ;  the  subject  of  the 
apostle's  investigation  being,  not  moral  holiness  or  unholi- 
ness,  but  the  mortality  of  our  present,  and  the  immortality 
of  our  resurrection  bodies.  And  as  those  features  of  char- 
acter in  our  present  natural  bodies  necessarily  lead  to,  and 
result  in  death,  without  regard  to  the  moral  character  of  the 
soul ;  so,  on  the  other  hand,  the  features  of  character  in 
the  resurrection  bodies  constitute  them  immortal,  irrespec- 
tive of  the  moral  character  of  the  soul  from  which  they 
were  separated  by  death,  and  with  which  they  will  be  finally 
re-united.  So  far,  therefore,  is  the  resurrection  of  the  body 
from  meeting  the  absolute  necessities  of  Universalism,  that 
it  leaves  it  exposed  to  all  the  force  of  the  solemn  declara- 
tion of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  "  Those  that  have  done  good, 
shall  come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  those  that 
have  done  evil,  to  the  resurrection  of  damnation  ;"  the  moral 


180  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [ciIAP.    VIII, 

character  of  the  soul,  and  not  the  immortal  constilntion  of 
the  resurrection  body,  determininir  the  destiny  of  man  for 
eternity. 

"Then  shall  be  brought  to  pass  the  saying  that  is  writ- 
ten, Death  is  swallowed  up  in  victory."  What  death? 
Most  unquestionably,  temporal  death — the  death  of  the 
body ;  for  no  other  death  than  that  of  the  body  in  this 
world,  and  no  other  immortality  than  that  of  the  resurrec- 
tion body  in  the  future  world,  are  the  subjects  of  the  apos- 
tle's inquiry  in  this  place — leaving  the  moral  condition  of 
the  soul,  as  clearly  declared,  and  fully  settled,  in  other  por- 
tions of  Divine  revelation ;  such  as,  "  Who  shall  ascend 
into  the  hill  of  the  Lord  ?  and  who  shall  stand  in  his  holy- 
place  ?  He  that  hath  clean  hands,  and  a  pure  heart,"  Psalm 
xxiv,  3,  4.  "  Blessed  are  the  pure  in  heart;  for  they  shall 
see  God,"  Matt,  v,  8.  "  Without  which,  (purity  of  heart, 
or  holiness,)  no  man  shall  see  the  Lord,"  Heb.  xii,  14. 

Here  we  might  leave  this  subject;  but  we  are  not  done 
with  Universalism  on  this  point.  For  the  sake  of  argu- 
ment, let  all  be  granted  that  may  be  claimed  for  the  human 
body  in  the  resurrection ;  and  the  question  still  recurs, 
Does  this  meet  the  moral  condition  of  the  souls  that  have 
gone,  and  may  yet  go  into  eternity,  unholy  and  unfit  for 
the  holiness  of  God  and  heaven  ?  To  this,  enlightened 
honesty  can  but  answer  in  the  negative ;  for,  whatever 
may  be  the  constitution  or  character  of  the  body  in  the 
resurrection,  it  is  the  result  and  work  of  omnipotent  power, 
changing  it  from  a  natural  to  a  spiritual,  from  a  mortal  to 
an  immortal  body  ;  and  this  work  of  Divine  power  must 
take  place  after  death,  and  necessarily,  in  the  future  world. 
This  is  clearly  the  doctrine  of  the  Bible  in  the  case.  The 
change  necessary  in  the  soul,  to  prepare  it  to  enjoy  God,  is 
wrought  by  Divine  grace  changing  it  from  darkness  to  light, 
the  power  of  Satan  to  God,  from  sin  to  holiness ;  and  this 
work  of  the  eraco  of  God   is   performed   on   the  soul  alone 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  181 

upon  the  condition  of  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  therefore 
must  of  necessity  be  effected,  if  at  all,  in  this  world;  and 
no  change  that  the  body  can  be  the  subject  of,  can  possibly 
meet  the  moral  necessities  of  the  immortal  soul. 

With  these  solemn  facts  so  clearly  before  us,  and  in  the 
entire  absence  of  all  promise  or  provision  for  the  soul's  moral 
change  after  death,  as  far  as  the  Bible  is  concerned,  for  any 
man  to  anticipate  such  change  under  such  circumstances, 
merely  because  God  has  promised  to  change  the  body  in 
the  resurrection,  from  mortality  to  immortality,  is  so  far 
from  being  the  dictate  of  enlightened  reason,  and  humble, 
authorized  faith,  that  it  is  emphatically  the  work  of  a  des- 
perately darkened  understanding,  or  a  presumptuous  infi- 
delity, that  sets  at  defiance  God's  word  in  the  premises,  and 
dares  to  constitute  itself  the  arbiter  of  man's  destiny  in  the 
awful  future.  Universalism  is  chargeable  with  all  this  dis- 
regard of  the  Divine  word,  and  all  these  bold  assumptions 
with  regard  to  the  future  condition  of  mankind.  The  view 
already  taken  is,  doubtless,  sufficient  to  settle  the  question 
with  the  candid,  if  the  evidence  was  closed  here;  but  that 
none  may  doubt,  who  believe  the  Bible,  we  will  adduce  a  few 
direct  proofs  therefrom,  to  show,  in  direct  opposition  to 
Universalism,  that  so  far  from  all  mankind  being  holy  and 
happy  in  the  resurrection,  some  will  rise  to  "shame," 
"contempt,"  and  damnation;  and  being  "unjust"  and  un- 
holy, will  be  the  subjects  of  endless  perdition  and  moral 
death.  "  And  many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth  shall  awake,  some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to 
shame  and  everlasting  contempt,"  Daniel  xii,  2.  Univer- 
salism tries  to  escape  the  force  of  this  testimony,  by  con- 
fining the  entire  prophecy  of  Daniel,  in  its  accomplishment, 
to  the  days  of  the  Redeemer  on  earth — his  judgments  in 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem — and  the  establishment  of  his 
Gospel  kingdom  during  the  life-time  of  the  apostles  ;  and, 
as    a   necessary  consequence,   tlie  resurrection  spoken  of 

10 


182  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII 

was  figurative,  and  not  real,  or  literal.  That  this  prophecy 
includes  those  events,  will  not  be  denied  ;  but  that  it  is  con- 
fined to  them  alone,  can  only  be  contended  to  save  a  sink- 
ing system,  which  it  is  resolved  to  defend,  even  at  the  sac- 
rifice of  the  truth  of  God.  And  this  is  the  difficulty  into 
which  Universalism  is  thrown.  But  let  us  see  whether 
this  sublime  prediction  was  confined  in  its  fulfillment  to  the 
days  of  Christ  and  his  apostles  on  earth.  "  And  in  the 
days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  king- 
dom, which  shall  never  be  destroyed:  and  ihe  kingdom 
shall  not  be  left  to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces 
and  consume  all  these  kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for 
ever,"  Daniel  ii,  44.  "And  there  was  given  him  domin- 
ion, and  glory,  and  a  kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and 
languages,  should  serve  him :  his  dominion  is  an  everlast- 
ing dominion,  which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom 
that  which  shall  not  be  destroyed,"  Daniel  vii,  14. 

From  these,  which  are  only  a  few  of  the  numerous  de- 
clarations of  the  prophet  to  the  same  effect,  it  is  seen,  with 
a  clearness  that  may  defy  skepticism,  that  those  predictions, 
so  far  from  terminating  in  the  days  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  on  earth,  only  commence  a  sublime  scene  of  provi- 
dence and  grace,  which  has  been  spreading,  and  will  con- 
tinue and  increase,  till  in  its  majestic  triumphs  it  encompass 
the  habitable  earth ;  and  will  only  have  its  final  consum- 
mation in  the  future  and  endless  world.  And  even  in  the 
chapter  before  us,  after  all  that  Daniel  has  said  that  could 
apply  to  those  events  to  which  Universalism  attempts  to 
confine  the  whole  prophecy,  he  says,  "And  I  heard,  but  I 
understood  not:  then  said  I,  O,  my  Lord,  what  shall 
be  the  end  of  these  things  ?  and  he  said,  Go  thy  way 
Daniel :  for  the  words  are  closed  up  and  sealed  till  the  time 
of  the  end,"  Daniel  xii,  8,  9.  And  the  whole  vision  closes 
with  these  remarkable  words,  "  But  go  thou  thy  way  till 
the  end  be:  for  thou  shalt  rest,  and  stand  in  thv  lot  at  the 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  183 

end  of  the  days,"  verse  13.  Here  are  features  of  this  pro- 
phetic vision,  which  were  sealed  up  till  the  time  of  the 
end.  Daniel  was  to  rest,  his  body  sleep  in  death,  and 
his  soul  rest  in  the  paradise  of  God,  "till  the  end  be;" 
at  which  time  he  is  to  stand  in  his  lot,  according  to  his 
moral  character.  But  as  he  had  been  long  dead  before 
Christ  came  in  the  flesh ;  and  as  he  was  not  raised  up  to 
stand  in  his  lot,  or  to  be  present  at  any  of  the  transactions 
of  Christ  and  his  apostles,  and  as  he  is  to  be  raised  up  in 
the  final  accomplishment  of  this  prophecy,  it  follows,  be- 
yond all  doubt,  that  the  event  is  yet  future,  and  yet  to  be 
consummated.  We  have  only  now  to  inquire  whether  the 
prophet  was  speaking  of  a  figurative,  or  real  and  literal  re- 
surrection. If  the  former,  the  attending  circumstances  must 
necessarily  be  figurative  also ;  then  the  following  will  be 
his  true  meaning:  "And  many  of  them  that  sleep,  figura- 
tively, in  the  figurative  dust  of  the  figurative  earth,  shall 
figuratively  awake,  some  to  everlasting  figurative  (not  real) 
life,  and  some  to  figurative  shame,  and  everlasting  figurative 
contempt."  But  this  is  not  all ;  for  preparatory  to  this 
splendid  figurative  scene,  the  prophet,  to  be  consistent,  must 
be  understood  to  say,  "  And  they  that  be  wise,  (not  really, 
but)  figuratively,  shall  figuratively  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament;  and  they  that  figuratively  (not  really) 
turn  many  to  figurative  (not  real)  righteousness  as  the  stars 
for  ever  and  ever."  If  the  prophet  is  speaking  of  figura- 
tive, and  not  real,  transaction,  the  above  is  a  perfectly  fair 
exposition  of  his  true  meaning ;  but  such  interpretation 
would  destroy,  not  only  all  real  life,  obedience,  usefulness, 
reformation,  and  holiness,  but  all  reason  and  common  sense. 
And  before  Universalism  can  escape  the  force  of  this  testi- 
mony, it  must  not  only  contradict  matters  of  fact,  with  re- 
gard to  the  time  of  the  fulfillment  of  Daniel's  predictions, 
and  the  prophet  himself;  but  it  must  pollute  the  lips  of  this 
holy  man  of  God,  by  attributing  to  him  this  language  of 


184  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

oonsummate  folly — exquisite  nonsense  !  Universalism  ad- 
duces the  prophecy  of  Ezekiel  xxxvii,  12,  13,  to  support 
a  figurative  resurrection  ;  but,  unfortunately  for  the  system, 
the  case  lacks  every  analogous  point:  for  there,  1.  The 
case  is  clearly  stated  to  be  a  metaphorical  coming  out  of  the 
grave ;  in  Daniel  no  such  intimation  is  given.  2.  In  this 
case  the  people  who  are  to  be  the  subjects  of  tliis  work  are 
specially  named  :  "the  whole  house  of  Israel,"  the  Jews 
nationally,  and  them  only.  In  Daniel  no  such  distinction 
and  restriction  are  made ;  but  the  resurrection  is  personal, 
and  is  spoken  of  individuals,  and  not  of  a  nation.  3.  In 
Ezekiel,  the  end  of  the  work  contemplated  is,  "  I  will  * 
*  *  bring  you  into  the  land  of  Israel ;"  the  whole  trans- 
action, in  its  consummation,  confined  to  time,  and  termina- 
ting in  "  the  land  of  Israel."  In  Daniel,  the  end  of  the 
resurrection  contemplated  with  regard  to  individuals,  is  ev- 
erlasting life,  and  everlasting  shame  and  contempt,  and  of 
necessity  terminating  in  changeless  eternity.  These  facts, 
without  naming  others,  prove  to  a  demonstration,  that  the 
cases  referred  to  by  the  prophets  are  perfectly  dissimilar; 
and  as  the  work  in  Ezekiel's  vision  was  confessedly  meta- 
phorical, that  in  Daniel  must  be  real  and  literal. 

Allowing  that  a  literal  resurrection  is  intended  by  Daniel, 
Universalism  attempts  to  maintain  that  the  term  "many" 
restricts  it  to  a  limited,  and  of  course  it  cannot  mean  a  gen- 
eral resurrection.  On  this  cavil,  coming  with  such  an  ill 
grace  from  Universalism,  but  a  few  remarks  will  serve  our 
purpose.  And,  first,  Paul  uses  the  same  term  where  there 
can  be  no  doubt  he  included  all  mankind.  "  For  as  by  one 
man's  disobedience  many  were  made  sinners,"  Romans  v, 
19.  But,  secondly,  the  many  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the 
earth,  as  contemplated  by  Daniel,  including  the  good  and 
bad,  with  those  who  will  be  alive  on  the  earth  at  the  end  of 
time,  will  include  the  whole  of  our  race ;  for  "  we  shall  not 
all  sleep,  (or  die,)  but  we  shall  all  be  changed,"  1  Cor.  xv, 


CHAP.    VIII.J  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  t^ 

51.  "  Then  we  which  are  alive  and  remain,  shall  be  caught 
up  together  with  them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in 
the  air,"  1  Thess.  iv,  17. 

With  those  objections  removed,  the  declaration  of  Daniel, 
speaking  by  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  an  eter- 
nal monument  of  truth,  in  opposition  to  the  licentious 
assumptions  of  Universalism,  on  the  great  doctrine  of  the 
general  resurrection  by  Jesus  Christ.  AVe  have  spent  more 
time  on  this  case  than  we  otherwise  would,  from  the  fact 
that  Universalism,  having  made  this  a  figurative  resurrec- 
tion, and  confined  the  whole  transaction  to  time,  asserts, 
that  whenever  Christ  or  his  apostles  allude  to,  or  mention 
the  resurrection,  in  connection  with  condemnation  or  sufTer- 
ing,  they  either  refer  to,  or  quote  Daniel's  prophecy,  and, 
of  course,  mean  the  same  kind  of  resurrection.  This,  in- 
deed, is  a  very  easy  method  of  disposing  of  difficulties ; 
but  with  its  absurdity  exposed,  we  are  prepared  to  hear 
with  reverence  the  testimony  of  the  Son  of  God  on  this 
important  subject. 

*'  Marvel  not  at  this  :  for  the  hour  is  coming,  in  the  which 
all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall  come 
forth ;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
life  ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
damnation,"  John  v,  28,  29.  Universalism,  aware  of  the 
fact,  that  this  testimony  alone  is  sufficient  to  seal  its  fate,  if 
its  force  cannot  be  evaded  by  some  subtilty  or  other,  has 
brought  all  its  skill  into  requisition  on  this  declaration  of 
Jesus  Christ;  and,  after  numerous  attempts  to  apply  it  to 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  the  maniacs  among  the  tombs, 
and  various  other  events,  that  may  well  excite  the  pity  and 
contempt  of  the  intelligent  and  pious,  it  is  forced  to  deny  a 
real,  and  to  attempt  to  maintain  a  moral,  spiritual,  or  figura- 
tive resurrection,  as  that  intended  by  the  Savior.  On  this 
ground  we  meet  the  objection. 

First,  this  charges  the  Savior  with  useless  and  unmean- 
16^ 


186  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

ing  repetition  ;  for  he  had  just  said,  "  Verily,  verily,  I  say 
unlo  you,  the  hour  is  coming,  and  now  is,  when  the  dead 
(morally  and  spiritually  dead)  shall  hear  the  voice  of  the 
Son  of  God:  and  they  that  hear  shall  live;"  shall  be 
raised  from  a  state  of  moral  death,  to  live  a  spiritual  life  by 
faith  ;  for,  *'  He  that  heareth  and  believeth,  is  passed  from 
(moral)  death  unto  (spiritual)  life."  And,  in  the  text  before 
us,  Universalism  makes  him  say,  "  Marvel  not  at  this." 
At  what  ?  This,  that  I  have  said,  I  would  raise  him  that 
believeth  from  a  state  of  moral  death  to  the  enjoyment  of 
spiritual  life  by  faith.  Why  ?  Because  the  hour  is  com- 
ing, in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves,  of  moral  death, 
as  those  just  referred  to,  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  believe 
as  those  above ;  therefore,  I  am  repeating  the  same  case 
precisely  which  I  have  already  described  ! 

And  again,  second,  Universalism  attributes  sentiments 
of  consummate  confusion  and  folly  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
by  making  him  teach  the  doctrine  of  a  figurative  resurrec- 
tion in  this  place.  The  following  must  be  a  fail  exposition 
of  his  honest  meaning,  on  Universalist  principles.  "  The 
hour  is  coming,  in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  (figurative) 
graves  (of  moral,  figurative  death)  shall  hear  his  voice,  and 
shall  come  forth ;  (from  their  figurative  graves  of  figurative 
death  ;)  they  that  have  done  (figurative)  good,  (in  their  figu- 
rative graves  of  figurative  death,)  unto  the  (figurative) 
resurrection  of  (figurative)  life ;  and  they  that  have  done 
(figurative)  evil,  (in  their  figurative  graves  of  figurative 
death,)  unto  the  (figurative)  resurrection  of  (figurative)  dam- 
nation." 

But  still  further.  If  this  is  a  figurative,  moral,  or  spirit- 
ual resurrection  of  the  soul,  notwithstanding  this  splendid 
display  of  figures,  the  whole  must  prove  to  be  a  perfect 
failure  ;  for,  1.  As  "  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God,"  Heb.  xi,  6,  tliose  who  "have  done  good,"  must 
have  had  this  failli,  and  believing,  have  passed  from  moral 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  187 

and  spiritual  death  unto  spiritual  life,  and  cannot  need  this 
resurrection,  having  experienced  it  already.  And  those  who 
'*  have  done  evil,"  must  have  been  destitute  of  this  faith, 
and,  of  course,  in  a  state  of  moral  and  spiritual  condemna- 
tion ;  and  as  they  are  to  be  raised  to  a  state  of  condemna- 
tion, or  damnation,  their  condition,  morally,  must  be  pre- 
cisely the  same  after,  that  it  was  before,  this  splendid  Uni- 
versalist  resurrection — the  whole  prove  an  utter  failure,  and 
Jesus  Christ  leave  man  in  the  same  deplorable  condition  in 
which  he  found  him,  after  all  his  unsuccessful  attempts  at  a 
resurrection!  It  is  seen,  therefore,  that  whether  this  is 
considered  a  figurative,  moral,  or  spiritual  resurrection,  the 
conclusion  and  consequences  are  resistlessly  the  same. 

Neither  can  the  force  of  this  testimony  be  diminished  by 
any  attempt  to  explain  it  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel ;  for,  as 
we  have  seen,  that  was  a  restoration  to  national,  political, 
and  religious  privileges  ;  and  as  the  subjects  of  which,  there 
is  not  even  an  intimation  that  some  of  them  would  be  the 
objects  of  shame,  contempt,  and  damnation,  but  all  would 
alike  enjoy  the  blessings ;  while,  in  the  cas.e  before  us,  the 
resurrection  is  personal,  and  the  destiny  of  those  who  are 
the  subjects  of  it  as  different,  according  to  their  moral  char- 
acter, as  is  the  difference  between  "everlasting  life,"  and 
"  everlasting  contempt,"  "  shame,"  and  "  damnation."  If, 
therefore,  Universalism  is  not  prepared,  with  profane  hands, 
to  rob  Jesus  Christ  of  all  consistency  and  dignity  of  char- 
acter, and  insult  him  by  attributing  to  him  sentiments  and 
doctrines  that  common  sense  would  blush  to  own,  it  is  com- 
pelled to  admit,  that  he  has  here,  with  a  clearness  equal  to 
his  own  dignity,  and  the  importance  of  his  message  to  man, 
announced  to  the  world  the  sublime  doctrine  of  the  literal 
resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the  final  destiny  of  mankind 
in  the  future  world.  The  Savior,  thus  understood,  appears 
in  a  character  worthy  of  himself. 

Having  announced  his  authority  as  the  Savior  and  Judge 


1B8  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  fcHAP.    Vlll. 

of  mankind,  and  the  power  of  his  grace  in  raising  the  peni- 
tent believer  to  a  spiritual  life  of  faith,  love,  and  obedience, 
he  continues  the  instruction,  by  referring  to  his  power  in 
raising  the  body  from  the  grave.  And  as  he  promises  spir- 
itual life  by  the  power  of  his  grace  to  none  but  such  as  be- 
lieve, so,  also,  in  the  exertion  of  his  omnipotent  power  in 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  the  same  principle  will  be  ob- 
served ;  they  that  have  done  good,  have  believed  and  obey- 
ed, shall  come  forth  to  the  resurrection  of  life — endless 
happiness  in  heaven.  But  they  that  have  done  evil,  lived 
and  died  in  unbelief  and  sin,  shall  come  forth  to  the  resur- 
rection of  damnation — shall  go  away  into  everlasting  pun- 
ishment. 

It  will  now  be  seen,  that  as  Universalism  could  not  press 
the  Savior  into  its  service,  as  a  witness  in  its  favor,  neither 
can  it  possibly  evade,  or  diminish  the  force  of  his  testimo- 
ny, when  he  appears  against  it;  for,  if  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  has  given  an  account  of  the  literal  resurrection  of 
the  body,  and  the  destiny  of  man  subsequendy  thereto,  in- 
cluding eternal  life  and  damnation,  the  condemnation  of 
Universalism  is  thereby  sealed,  by  authority  as  high  as  the 
throne  of  God. 

We  will  adduce  only  one  other  statement  on  this  point 
*'  And  have  hope  towards  God,  which  they  themselves  also 
allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead,  both 
of  the  just  and  unjust:  and  herein  do  I  exercise  myself,  to 
have  always  a  conscience  void  of  offense  towards  God,  and 
towards  men,"  Acts  xxiv,  15,  16. 

The  principal  attempt  to  evade  this  testimony  by  Univer- 
salism, as  far  as  has  come  under  our  notice,  is  the  assertion, 
that  it  would  be  little  less  than  blasphemy  to  "hope"  for 
the  resurrection  of  the  "  unjust,"  unless  it  should  render 
them  endlessly  holy  and  happy  in  heaven.  The  force  of 
this  futile  objection  we  have  never  been  able  either  to  see  or 
feel.     What,  blasphemy!  or,  at  least,  highly  criminal,  to 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  189 

hope  that  the  "Judge  of  all  the  earth  will  do  right."  Any 
hope  or  feeling  of  heart  to  the  contrary,  would  be  rebel- 
lious and  criminal  in  the  siglit  of  God.  The  objection 
itself  is  proof  that  the  system  trembles  at  the  thought  of 
fairly  meeting  this  inspired  declaration ;  and  yet  to  pass  it 
without  a  word,  would  be  to  allow  it  all  its  force,  which 
alone  would  ruin  the  system. 

But  to  allow  the  objection  for  a  moment — then  Paul  must 
be  understood  to  mean,  "  I  have  hope  toward  God,  that 
there  will  be,  not  only  a  resurrection  of  the  just  and  unjust ; 
but  the  unjust,  those  who  have  lived  and  died  in  the  prac- 
tice of  all  injustice,  cruelty,  falsehood,  infidelity,  atheism, 
blasphemy  and  murder,  will  be  as  sure  of  an  eternal  weight 
of  glory  in  the  resurrection,  as  those  who  have  lived  and 
died  in  all  holy  obedience;  and,  therefore,  herein  do  I  ex- 
ercise myself,  to  have  always  a  conscience  void  of  offense 
toward  God  and  men,  that  I  may  be  raised  with  the  just; 
nevertheless,  if  I  should  always  exercise  myself  to  offend 
against  God  and  men,  I  am  unconditionally  sure  of  a  resur- 
rection to  eternal  glory,  as  are,  also,  all  other  men,  how- 
ever unjust  and  unholy  they  may  live  and  die."  Now,  an 
objection  that  involves  such  consequences — that  will  traduce 
the  character  of  the  inspired  apostle,  by  imputing  to  him 
sentiments  so  perfectly  revolting,  that  to  have  published 
them  to  the  world,  would  have  rendered  him  an  object  of 
universal  scorn  and  contempt  with  all  the  virtuous  and 
wise — must  be  the  legitimate  offspring  of  the  grossest  dark- 
ness, or  the  deep  disciplined  corruption  of  infidelity.  And 
Universalism  has  no  alternative  but  to  yield  the  objection, 
or  sustain  the  charge. 

We  are  now  prepared  to  see,  in  the  light  of  Divine  reve- 
lation, that  Universalism  has  not  one  testimony  in  the  whole 
range  of  holy  writ,  to  support  its  bold  assumptions,  that  the 
resurrection  will  secure  eternal  holiness  and  happiness  for 
all  mankind  in  heaven,  irrespective  of  faith,  obedience,  or 


190  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  [ciIAP.    VIII. 

any  other  feature  of  moral  character  in  this  world.  And  on 
the  contrary,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  his  divinely  inspired 
servants,  concur  in  establishing  the  solemn  fact,  that  what- 
ever change  may  be  wrought  on  the  body  in  the  resurrec- 
tion, it  cannot  affect  the  moral  condition  of  the  soul ;  but 
the  eternal  destiny  of  man  will  be  fixed  by  the  moral  char- 
acter in  which  he  closed  his  probation  in  time  and  entered 
the  future  world. 

Again :  Universalism  not  only  utterly  fails  to  sustain  its 
assumptions  with  regard  to  the  salvation  of  all  men  in  the 
resurrection ;  but  by  plain  and  unavoidable  consequences, 
it  renders  both  the  resurrection  of  the  body  and  the  salva- 
tion of  the  soul  impossible. 

That  the  resurrection  of  the  body  is  a  work  to  be  effected 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  fact  everywhere  declared  in 
the  word  of  God  ;  and  that  this  is  the  work  of  Almighty 
power,  is  equally  clear;  and  the  fact  that  prophets  and 
apostles  have  raised  the  dead,  forms  no  valid  objection;  for 
they  did  not  perform  the  work  in  their  own  name  or  by 
their  own  power,  but  only  instrumentally ;  and  they  pro- 
duced no  new  organization,  as  will  be  the  fact  in  the  resur- 
rection, but  only  resuscitated  the  body,  which  was  again 
subjected  to  death.  From  these  facts  it  is  clear,  that  the 
resurrection  which  must  change  our  natural  to  a  spiritual,  our 
mortal  to  an  immortal  body,  must  be  the  work  of  infinite 
power.  But  Universalism  denies  all  absolute  divinity  to 
Jesus  Christ,  and  maintains  that  he  is  a  created,  and  of  ne- 
cessity an  absolutely  dependent  being.  And  whatever  some 
Universalists,  in  order  to  avoid  difficulty  in  debate,  or  to 
sustain  some  point  for  the  time  being,  may  say  about  the 
infinity  and  divine  character  of  Christ,  it  is  perfectly  easy 
to  demonstrate  that  the  system  utterly  rejects  the  absolute 
divinity  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  One  specimen  of  its 
language  on  the  point  will  serve  our  purpose  here:  *'I 
have,  1  think,  sufl[iciently  proved  in  this  work,  that  Jesus 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  191 

Christ  is  a  created,  depeiideiu  being."  Ballou  on  the 
Atonement,  p.  186. 

Now,  as  it  requires  infinite  power  to  effect  the  resurrec- 
tion, and  Jesus  Christ  possesses  only  finite  power,  the  re- 
surrection with  him  will  be  utterly  impossible;  and  as  to 
the  assertion,  that  he  does,  or  will,  possess  delegated  power 
for  this  work,  that  is  impossible,  for  omnipotent  power  is 
incommunicable.  And  if  this  were  not  the  fact,  the  conse- 
quences would  be  still  more  fatal;  for  if  God  could  com- 
municate his  infinite  power  to  Christ,  or  any  other  being,  it 
would  follow  absolutely,  1.  That  having  delegated  this 
power  to  another,  he  could  not  possibly  possess  it  at  the 
same  time  himself.  2.  Previous  to  this  delegation  he  was 
omnipotent,  but  subsequently  he  would  not  be,  and  of 
course  must  be  destitute  of  this  infinite  perfection  of  his 
nature.  3.  He,  therefore,  must  be  the  subject  of  a  change 
from  infinite  power  to  finite  weakness,  and  could  not  possi- 
bly be  the  immutable  God  of  the  universe.  This  doctrine 
of  delegation  to  prepare  Christ  for  the  work  of  the  resur- 
rection, must  inevitably  destroy  Jehovah.  But  he  cannot 
be  destroyed,  this  delegation  cannot  take  place ;  and  on  the 
ground  of  Universalism,  Jesus  Christ  can  never  effect  the 
resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the  hope  of  the  pious  is  a  de- 
lusion ! 

Again  :  Universalism  maintains  that  God  will  not  par- 
don any  sin  whatever,  in  the  sense  of  remitting  the  punish- 
ment or  the  penalty  of  the  law.  It  also  holds  that  the  pun- 
ishment of  sin  is  the  consequences  that  follow,  whether  that 
be  a  guilty  conscience,  loss  of  property,  or  whatever  else 
may  follow  as  a  consequence  of  sinning.  And  the  Bible 
declares,  "  Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the 
world,  and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men, 
for  that  all  have  sinned,"  Romans  v,  12. 

Language  cannot  make  it  plainer,  that  death  is  the  conse- 
quence of  sin;  and  if,  according  to  Universalism,  the  pun- 


192  GExNF.RAL    RESURRECTION.  [cHAP.    VIII. 

ishment  of  sin  is  its  consequences,  dealli  must  be  the  pun- 
ishment; and  if  God  never  will  pardon,  or  remit  the 
punishment,  it  follows,  with  all  the  force  of  demonstration, 
that  there  can  be  no  resurrection,  and  death  must  eternally 
reign  !  For,  the  moment  the  body  is  raised  immortal,  the 
consequence,  (accordmg  to  the  system,)  the  punishment 
of  sin,  will  be  remitted ;  but  God  never  will  remit  the  pun- 
ishment, therefore,  the  resurrection  of  the  human  body  is 
absolutely  impossible,  according  to  the  logic  of  Universal- 
ism.  And  it  cannot  possibly  escape  this  revolting,  atheisti- 
cal conclusion,  but  by  admitting  that  God  pardons  sin,  in 
the  sober,  Scriptural  sense  of  the  term,  by  the  non-inflic- 
tion of  the  punishment,  and  the  renewing  of  our  nature  on 
the  conditions  of  repentance,  and  faith  in  Jesus  Christ. 
But  this  admission  would  totally  ruin  the  system  at  another 
point ;  for  then  the  finally  impenitent  and  unbelieving  could 
not  be  saved. 

The  same  facts  and  arguments  apply,  and  the  same  con- 
clusions follow,  with  regard  to  the  salvation  of  the  soul, 
that  do  in  relation  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body.  "  For 
to  be  carnally  minded  is  death ;"  (not  temporal  death,  for 
the  most  pious  die  this  death  as  well  as  the  most  wicked ;) 
"because  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against  God:  for  it  is 
not  subject  to  the  law  of  God,  neither  indeed  can  be,"  Ro- 
mans viii,  6,  7.  The  carnal  mind  in  man  is  either  the  con- 
sequence of  sin,  or  it  is  the  constitution  and  moral  charac- 
ter which  God  has  given  to  the  human  mind.  To  deny  the 
former,  would  be  to  contradict,  and  reject  the  Bible ;  to 
afRrm  the  latter,  would  be  a  profane  impeachment  of  the 
Divine  character ;  and,  unless  Universalism  commits  this 
two-fold  offense,  it  is  compelled  to  acknowledge  that  the 
carnal  mind  is  the  consequence  of  sin,  and  if  so,  according 
to  its  own  showing,  it  is  the  punishment  of  sin.  And  if 
God  ever  destroys  the  carnal  mind,  he  will  avert  the  pun- 
ishment ;  but  lie  never  will  avert  the  punishment,   that  is. 


CHAP.    VIII.]  GENERAL    RESURRECTION.  193 

destroy  the  carnal  mind ;  and  as  it  is  enmity  against  God, 
and  consequently  unholy,  and  as,  without  holiness,  none 
shall  see  the  Lord,  therefore,  on  Universalist  ground,  the 
salvation  of  the  soul  is  absolutely  impossible,  and  all  our 
hopes  are  vain ! 

Alas,  for  Universalism !  Compelled  to  admit  that  the 
world  '*  lieth  in  wickedness,"  that  men  in  all  possible  cor- 
ruption of  heart  and  life,  are  daily  passing  into  eternity; 
and  instead  of  opposing  sin  of  every  character,  and  in  all 
places,  and  laboring  with  the  Christian  Church  for  the  re- 
formation and  salvation  of  man  in  this  world,  by  its  licen- 
tious doctrines,  it  not  only  licenses  sin,  but  virtually  offers 
a  reward  to  wickedness  ;  wages  a  relentless  war  against  the 
whole  Christian  system,  and  promises  the  rebellious  world 
a  perfect  antidote  in  the  general  resurrection,  for  all  its  woes 
brought  on  by  wickedness,  without  reformation,  faith,  obe- 
dience, or  love  to  God  or  man  in  this  world.  And  when 
we  have  examined  its  bold  pretensions  in  the  light  of  God's 
holy  word,  it  stands  condemned  by  evidence  as  clear  as  the 
Bible,  and  authority  as  absolute  as  Jehovah;  and  instead  of 
saving  all  mankind  in  heaven  in  the  resurrection,  by  legiti- 
mate and  unavoidable  conclusions  from  its  own  premises,  it 
absolutely  consigns  the  body  in  hopeless  death,  and  con- 
firms the  soul  in  eternal  enmity  against  God,  and  leaves  both 
soul  and  body  under  the  tyranny  of  eternal  death.  So  far, 
therefore,  is  it  from  being  a  system  of  universal  salvation, 
that  it  is  really  a  system  of  universal  hopeless  death  and 
endless  damnation. 

Reader,  thy  soul  has  an  eternal  interest  involved  in  this 
weighty  subject;  peril  it  not  for  the  love  of  theory,  the 
pride  of  opinion,  the  prejudice  of  education,  or  the  love  of 
sin ;  but  sacrifice  all  for  the  love  of  truth,  and  the  knowl- 
edge of  salvation  by  the  remission  of  sins,  and  the  witness 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

17 


104  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST. 

Second  Coming  of  Jesus  Christ — His  having  come  in  the  Flesh  not 
the  Question  in  dispute — Scriptures  relied  on  by  Universalism  for 
Proof — Derives  its  Plausibility  from  Assumptions — Facts  and  Proofs 
to  the  contrary — Dilemma — His  coming  in  the  Life-time  of  some  of 
those  who  heard  him  speak — Invisible  and  Spiritual — He  now  Reigns, 
not  in  Final  Judgment,  but  in  the  Kingdom  of  Grace  and  Providence — 
The  Present  cannot  be  the  state  of  Final  Judgment  and  Retribution 
with  Man — If  Men  are  Judged  and  Punished  in  this  World,  their  suf- 
ferings must  be  either  of  the  Body,  the  Mind,  or  both — Proofs  to  the 
Contrary — Allow  all  the  System  claims  on  the  point,  and  it  makes  the 
Almighty  mock  and  cruelly  deceive  his  Creatures — The  Scriptures 
must  prove  to  be  Untrue,  or  Universalism  is  False. 

Universalism,  when  met  and  driven  from  its  positive  po- 
sitions of  attack  and  defense,  throws  itself  upon  its  nega- 
tive resources,  by  denying  a  future  general  judgment  and 
its  consequences  ;  on  the  assumption,  that  Christ  has  long 
since  come  in  judgment,  and  that  he  has  been,  and  is  now 
judging,  punishing,  and  rewarding  the  good  and  bad,  and 
will  continue  this  work  till  the  end  of  time,  and  all  man- 
kind being  thereby  prepared  for,  are  received  into  heaven 
at  death. 

The  coming  of  Jesus  Cluist  into  the  world,  according  to 
the  purpose  of  God,  for  the  benefit  of  man,  was  long  the 
subject  of  promise,  and  the  theme  of  prophecy ;  even  from 
the  period  when  the  glories  of  Eden  were  blighted  by  the 
apostasy  of  man,  to  the  sublime  scenes  of  the  city  of  Da- 
vid, when  the  wise  men  worshiped  the  infant  Messiah  in 
the  manger,  and  the  heavenly  hosts  shouted,  "  Glory  to 
God  in  the  highest ;  and  on  earth,  peace,  and  good  will  to- 
ward men."  And  whatever  may  be  the  difference  of  opin- 
ion with  regard  to  the  real  character  of  Christ,  and  the 
design  and  effect  of  his  mission  to  earth,  the  fact  of  his 
having  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  matter  of  dispute,   but  is 


CHAP.    IX. J  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  19S 

conceded  by  all  who  believe  tlie  Bible  to  be  a  record  of 
facts,  and  a  revelation  from  God.  The  real  question  is, 
the  second  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness,  and  fix  the  destiny  of  man  for  eternity. 

To  maintain  that  he  has  thus  c  ane,  Universalism  quotes 
the  following  Scriptures :  "Verily,  I  say  unto  you.  There 
be  some  standing  here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till 
they  see  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom,"  Matt. 
xvi,  28.  "  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  This  generation  shall 
not  pass,  till  all  these  things  be  fulfilled,"  Matt,  xxiv,  34; 
and  the  parallel  texts  in  Mark  ix,  1-13,  30,  and  Luke  xxi, 
32.  The  declarations  relied  on  are,  "  There  be  some  stand- 
ing here,  which  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  they  see  the 
Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom  "— "  till  they  have  seen 
the  kingdom  of  God  come  with  power;"  "this  generation 
shall  not  pass,  till  all  these  things  be  done" — "  till  all  be 
fulfilled."  The  position  of  Universalism  on  this  point, 
derives  all  its  plausibility  from  assuming,  1.  That  "  gener- 
ation," as  used  here  by  the  Savior,  means  exclusively  the 
natural  life-time  of  an  individual ;  and,  2.  That  Christ  is 
here  speaking  alone  of  one  single  occurrence,  or  event  that 
was  to  take  place,  and  be  completed  within  the  period  of  a 
man's  natural  life.  Yield  these  assumptions,  and  allow  that 
"  generation,"  as  here  used,  refers  to  the  moral  character 
and  relations  of  a  nation,  or  class  of  people,  as  well  as  to 
the  natural  life  of  an  individual,  and  that  the  Lord  was 
speaking  of  more  than  one  event  concerning  himself,  his 
kingdom,  the  Church,  and  the  world — events  that  should 
commence  in  the  life-time  of  those  who  heard  him,  and  con- 
tinue to  the  end  of  time ;  and  these  Scriptures  are  rescued 
at  once  from  the  perversions  of  Universalism,  and  are  easy 
of  explanation,  in  perfect  harmony  with  the  whole  Divine 
volume,  and  incontrovertible  matters  of  fact.  But  let  us 
look  at  those  points  in  the  light  of  the  Holy  Scriptures : 
"For  God  is  in   the  generation  of  the  righteous,"   Psalm 


196  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

xiv,  5.  "  But  ye  are  a  chosen  generation,  a  royal  priest- 
hood, a  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people ;  that  ye  should 
show  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  you  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvelous  light,"  1  Peter  ii,  9.  Here, 
all  who  are  called,  and  obey  the  call,  from  darkness  to  light, 
and  thereby  show  forth  the  praises  of  God,  are  a  peculiar, 
holy,  and  chosen  generation,  extending  throughout  all  time. 
Proofs  to  the  same  point  might  be  greatly  extended. 

Again :  "  O  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye,  being  evil, 
speak  good  things  ?  for  out  of  the  abundance  of  the  heart 
the  mouth  speaketh.  *  *  *  Even  so  shall  it  be  also 
onto  this  wicked  generation,"  Matt,  xii,  34-45.  "  Whoso- 
ever, therefore,  shall  be  ashamed  of  me  and  of  my  words 
in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  generation ;  of  him  also  shall 
the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed,  when  he  cometh  in  the  glory 
of  his  Father,  with  the  holy  angels,"  Mark  viii,  38.  Here, 
also,  those  who  are  "  ashamed  of  Christ  and  his  words  " — 
"  being  evil  " — "  adulterous  and  sinful  "—all  such,  through- 
out all  time,  constitute  the  "  generation  of  the  wicked." 

From  this  language  of  the  Scriptures,  it  is  seen  that 
*'  generation"  not  only  means  the  natural  life  of  a  man,  but 
also  a  whole  race  of  men ;  such  as  the  descendants  of  Abra- 
ham, or  the  Jews,  including  their  entire  history ;  and  a 
whole  class  of  men,  having  reference  to  their  moral  charac- 
ter— such  as  the  wicked,  all  sinful  men  belong  to,  and  con- 
stitute the  generation  of  the  wicked;  the  righteous,  all 
pious  persons  belong  to,  and  constitute  the  generation  of 
the  righteous.  These  facts  destroy  the  assumption  of  Uni- 
versalism  on  this  point ;  and  it  only  remains  to  be  seen, 
whether  Christ,  in  the  case  before  us,  refers  to  those  facts. 
Of  this,  to  say  the  least,  there  is  strong  presumptive  evi- 
dence; for  it  is  a  remarkable  fact,  which  should  not  be 
overlooked,  that  when  he  spoke  of  what  individuals  should 
see  before  death,  he  confined  this  sight,  exclusively,  to 
*'  the  Son  of  man  coming  in  his  kingdom  " — "  the  kingdom 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    LOMINO    OF    CHRIST.  197 

oF  God  coming  with  power;"  and  when  he  spoke  of  "all 
these  things  being  fulfilled" — "till  all  these  things  be 
done,"  he  did  not  say  that  some  then  present  should  not 
die  till  all  these  things  should  be  consummated ;  but  this 
'''generation''^  shall  not  pass,  till  all  these  things  be  fulfil- 
led— till  all  be  done.  This  generation,  either  as  it  refers  to 
the  Jews  as  a  people,  or  to  moral  character,  or  both,  shall 
not  pass  away  till  all  of  which  he  had  spoken,  directly  and 
indirectly,  come  to  pass,  though  it  extend  from  this  till  the 
end  of  time ;  while,  indeed,  one  fact,  with  its  accompany- 
ing circumstances  and  consequences,  in  this  grand  train  of 
events,  shall  take  place  during  the  life-time  of  some  who 
now  hear,  they  shall  live  to  see  it,  namely,  my  coming  in 
my  kingdom — the  kingdom  of  the  Father.  This  will  soon 
be  accomplished  by  the  direct  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
and  Christ  thereby  should  come  to  reign  in  the  kingdom  of 
his  grace  and  providence. 

This  view  is  natural  and  easy,  and  as  we  proceed,  will 
be  seen  to  harmonize  with  all  other  Scriptures  bearing  on 
this  subject.  The  next  inquiry  is,  whether  Christ,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Scriptures  before  us,  was  speaking  exclu- 
sively of  but  one  event,  of  but  one  coming  into  the  world, 
and  that  too  finally  to  judge  the  world.  And  if  it  can  be 
clearly  shown,  that  the  final  second  coming  of  Jesus  Christ 
will  be  attended  with  circumstances  that  did  not  transpire  in 
the  days  of  the  apostles,  it  will  be  shown  with  the  same 
clearness,  that  he  was  speaking  of  more  than  one  event,  and 
that  his  second  coming  to  judge  the  world  is  yet  future. 
Christ  shall  settle  this  vital  question;  and  as  we  intend  fully 
to  examine  those  Scriptures  in  another  place,  we  will  only 
adduce  one  plain  declaration  of  Christ  here.  "  And  then  shall 
appear  the  sign  of  the  Son  of  man  in  heaven :  and  then 
shall  all  the  tribes  of  the  earth  mourn,  and  they  shall  see 
tlie  Son  of  man  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  with  power 
and  ffreat  glorv.  And  he  shall  send  his  angels  with  a  great 
17* 


198  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [CIIAP.    IX, 

sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they  shall  gather  together  his  elect 
from  the  four  winds,  from  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other," 
Matt,  xxiv,  30,  31.  Now,  let  it  be  distinctly  borne  in 
mind,  that  the  manner  of  his  coming,  in  the  sense  in  which 
it  was  to  take  place  in  the  life-time  of  some  of  those  who 
heard  him  speak  of  it,  confined  it  exclusively  to  his  king- 
dom— the  kingdom  of  the  Father — without  even  an  intima- 
tion that  this  coming  in  his  kingdom  should  be  attended 
with  the  sublimity  and  grandeur  of  that  named  above.  No 
intimation  that  when  he  should  come  in  his  kingdom,  which 
some  of  them  should  live  to  see,  it  would  be  announced  by 
the  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  be  attended  with  the 
other  circumstances  here  named ;  while  in  the  case  before 
us,  or  in  the  parallel  texts,  there  is  not  one  word  said,  or  an 
intimation  given,  that  he  would  come  in  his  kingdom  ;  but 
on  the  contrary,  he  is  to  come  "  in  the  clouds  of  heaven 
with  power  and  great  glory  ;"  the  "  great  sound  of  a  trum- 
pet," shall  apprise  the  world  of  his  approach,  accompanied 
by  *'his  angels,"  who  "shall  gather  his  elect" — all  the 
pious  and  holy  from  under  the  broad  canopy  of  heaven — 
while  all  the  *'  tribes,"  the  wicked  "  tribes  of  the  earth  shall 
mourn."  It  has  already  been  shown,  that  any  inference, 
argument,  or  interpretation,  that  contradicts  plainly  revealed 
truths,  or  plain  matters  of  fact,  is  absolutely  erroneous,  and 
must  be  rejected  unhesitatingly  ;  and  with  these  fully  be- 
fore us,  the  world  might  be  challenged  to  adduce  a  particle 
of  proof  that  these  sublime  scenes  have  ever  occurred,  and 
been  witnessed  by  mankind.  When  did  the  world  hear  the 
great  sound  of  the  trumpet?  When  did  it  see  the  Lord 
come  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  ?  When  did  the  wicked  tribes 
of  the  earth  wail  and  mourn  at  his  coming?  When  were 
God's  elect,  the  pious  of  the  earth,  gathered  from  under  the 
whole  heaven  and  taken  to  Christ?  Never.  And  the  man 
that  should  afTirm  it,  must  be  considered  as  wholly  destitute 
of  knowledge,   or  of  truth   and   honesty  ;   and   the  system 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  1^ 

that  teaches  it  can  but  excite  the  disgust,  not  to  say  con- 
tempt, of  all  the  intelligent,  honest  believers  in  the  revela- 
tion of  God.  It  follows,  therefore,  beyond  a  doubt,  that  as 
those  solemn  events  have  not  taken  place,  the  promise  of 
the  Lord  is  a  perfect  failure,  or  they  are  yet  future.  In 
either  case,  it  is  equally  fatal,  absolutely  fatal,  to  Univer- 
salis m. 

That  Paul  understood  the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  in 
this  light,  will  appear  perfectly  clear  from  the  following  de- 
clarations :  "  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  coming 
of  the  Lord  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep.  For 
the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout, 
with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of 
God:  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first,"  1  Thess.  iv, 
15,  16.  The  apostle  affirms,  that  he  is  authorized  "  by  the 
word  of  the  Lord,"  to  make  this  solemn  announcement  of 
the  second  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  But  where  do  we 
find,  in  the  word  of  the  Lord,  the  fact  and  attending  cir- 
cumstances so  clearly  set  forth  as  the  Savior  has  done  in  the 
case  before  us?  But  in  this  grand  description  by  Paul, 
there  is  not  a  word  said  about  the  kingdom ;  which  is  fur- 
ther proof  that  his  coming  in  his  kingdom,  which  was  to 
take  place  in  the  life-time  of  his  apostles,  was  widely  dif- 
ferent from  his  final  coming  to  judge  the  world  in  righteous- 
ness. 

From  the  foregoing,  it  follows,  beyond  the  possibility  of 
successful  contradiction  or  evasion,  either,  1.  That  Christ, 
in  the  language  had  under  examination,  and  other  parallel 
cases,  taught  his  disciples  and  the  world,  that  his  coming  in 
his  kingdom,  which  was  to  occur  during  the  life-time  of 
some  then  present,  was  to  judge  the  world ;  and  that  this 
was  his  second,  final,  and  only  coming  that  should  ever  take 
place;  or,  2.  In  addition  to  his  coming  in  his  kingdom 
within  the  natural  life  of  some  of  them  who  heard  him,  he 


200  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

taught  them  that  his  second  final  coming  to  judge  the  world 
was  yet  future,  and  should  take  place  at  the  end  of  time, 
when  he  should  come  with  the  sound  of  a  trumpet,  attended 
by  the  angels,  when  all  mankind  should  literally  appear  be- 
fore him  in  judgment.  This  is  surely  a  full  and  fair  state- 
ment of  this  deeply  interesting  case,  to  which  we  cannot 
see  how  any  candid  inquirer  after  truth  can  possibly  object. 

Now  we  make  this  dilemma  for  Universalism,  and  may 
with  the  utmost  confidence  defy  its  escape.  It  must  take 
either  the  first  or  second  position  with  regard  to  the  coming 
of  Jesus  Christ  finally  to  judge  the  world.  If  it  takes  the 
first,  the  following  consequences  cannot  be  avoided:  1.  Uni- 
versalism depends  on  the  resurrection  for  the  final  holiness 
and  happiness  of  all  mankind  in  heaven.  2.  And  accord- 
ing to  St.  Paul,  the  resurrection  depends  on  the  second 
coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  for  he  shall  descend  from 
heaven,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised.  3.  But  Universalism 
aflirms,  that  the  second  coming  of  Christ  has  long  since 
passed;  and  fact  proclaims  that  the  dead  are  not  raised,  and 
consequently  they  never  can  be  raised  nor  the  living 
changed,  and  therefore  Universalism  is  a  perfect  farce,  and 
all  its  boast  of  universal  holiness  and  happiness  in  the  re- 
surrection is  disgusting  nonsense.  And  if  to  avoid  those 
consequences,  which  are  not  surpassed  by  the  darkest  fea- 
ture of  atheism,  it  admits  that  the  second  coming  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  judge  the  world,  and  reward  the  good  and  punish 
the  wicked,  is  yet  future,  and  will  be  consummated  at  the 
end  of  time  and  the  present  constitution  of  this  world,  it 
yields  its  last  hope  at  once,  and  should  prepare  for  a  fearful 
reckoning  and  awful  retribution  at  the  bar  of  God,  when  it 
must  meet  the  souls  it  has  ruined,  the  Judge  whose  word  it 
has  perverted,  whose  government  it  has  misrepresented,  and 
whose  character  it  has  traduced. 

Having  thus  shown,  that  the  assumptions  of  the  system 
against  the  future  coming  of  Christ,   and  to  sustain  that 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  201 

event  as  long  since  passed,  are  utterly  unsupported  by  the 
word  of  God,  and  the  facts  in  the  case,  we  are  prepared  to 
see  that  Christ,  in  tliese  discourses,  instead  of  speaking  ex- 
clusively of  but  one  subject,  that  of  his  coming  in  his  king- 
dom while  those  who  heard  him  should  still  be  living, 
speaks  of  a  plurality  of  subjects,  and  of  each  with  all  the  dis- 
tinctness that  the  circumstances  of  the  case  required  ;  among 
which  were,  and  of  which  he  spake  distinctly,  his  judgments 
upon,  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dispersion 
of  the  Jews;  his  coming  in  his  kingdom,  which  was  soon 
to  take  place,  and  the  persecution  and  martyrdom  of  many 
of  his  disciples.  He  also  spake  less  distinctly  (but  suffi- 
ciently plain  for  all  the  purposes  of  his  providence  and 
grace)  of  the  universal  spread  of  the  Gospel,  his  presence 
by  the  power  of  the  Spirit  everywhere  in  the  Church,  his 
protection  of  the  ministry,  his  reign  in  the  kingdom  of 
providence,  and  his  final  second  coming  to  judge  the  world. 
The  only  point  that  remains  to  be  settled  here,  is,  what 
did  the  Savior  mean  by  his  coming  in  his  kingdom,  which 
was  soon  to  occur,  even  in  the  natural  life-time  of  some  of 
those  who  heard  his  discourses  ?  And  as  all  must  confess, 
from  the  facts  already  adverted  to,  that  this  coming  was  not 
personal,  visible,  and  literal,  and  as  he  himself  declares  that 
his  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world,  there  is  no  other  conclu- 
sion that  the  facts,  and  the  word  of  God  will  warrant,  than 
that  his  coming  was  spiritual,  to  reign  by  the  prevalence  of 
his  grace,  and  the  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  his  spiritual 
kingdom,  the  Church,  the  Zion  of  God.  And  as  this  spir- 
itual kingdom  and  reign  could  not  be  fully  established,  till 
all  the  predictions^  of  the  prophets  were  accomplished  in 
his  character  and  works;  till  "he,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
should  taste  death  for  every  man;"  till  he  had  triumphed 
over  death  and  the  grave  in  his  resurrection ;  and  till  it 
should  be  proclaimed  in  heaven,  "Lift  up  your  heads,  O 
ye  gates ;  and  be  ye  lifted  up,  ye   everlasting  doors  ;  and 


202  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in.  Who  is  this  King  of 
glory  ?  The  Lord,  strong  and  mighty ;  the  Lord,  mighty 
in  battle.  *  *  *  He  is  the  King  of  glory,"  Psalm  xxiv, 
7-10.  Then  was  accomplished  the  purpose  of  God  in  the 
inauguration  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  ihe  mediatorial  kingdom, 
and  it  is  announced,  "  Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon  my 
holy  hill  of  Zion,"  P^alm  ii,  6;  to  receive  the  heathen  for 
an  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  a 
possession  ;  to  save  and  glorify  the  obedient,  and  rule,  and 
if  need  be,  to  break  the  rebellious  with  a  rod  of  iron,  and 
dash  them  in  pieces  like  a  potter's  vessel.  And  when  it 
was  proclaimed,  "  Thou  hast  ascended  on  high,  thou  hast 
led  captivity  captive :  thou  hast  received  gifts  for  men ; 
yea,  for  the  rebellious  also,  that  the  Lord  God  might  dwell 
among  them,"  Psalm  Ixviii,  18 ;  and  when  the  purposes  of 
God,  which  had  been  in  progress  for  ages,  were  consum- 
mated, in  the  ascension  of  Jesus  Christ  to  the  throne  and 
reign  of  mediation ;  and  when  his  disciples,  who  had  heard 
his  teaching,  and  expected  his  coming  according  to  his 
promise,  were  all  assembled,  with  one  accord,  in  one  place, 
"  Suddenly  there  came  a  sound  from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing 
mighty  wind,  and  it  filled  all  the  house  where  they  were 
sitting.  And  there  appeared  unto  them  cloven  tongues, 
like  as  of  fire,  and  it  sat  upon  each  of  them  :  and  they  were 
all  filled  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  began  to  speak  with 
other  tongues,  as  the  Spirit  gave  them  utterance.  And 
there  were  dwelling  at  Jerusalem,  Jews,  devout  men,  out 
of  every  nation  under  heaven,"  Acts  ii,  2-5.  This  descent 
of  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  spiritual  kingdom,  by  the  power  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  surprised  the  multitude ;  and  when  they 
came  together,  they  were  confounded  at  the  marvelous 
event,  and  supposed  confusion — the  pious  exulting  in  the 
acconiplishnKMit  of  the  Divine  promise,  the  infidel  and  pro- 
fane niockinir  at  tlieir  supposed  drunkenness,  "Peter,  stand- 
ing up  willi  the  eleven,  lifled  up  his  voice,  and"  announced 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  203 

to  them,  that  this  was  not  the  effect  of  drunkenness,  but 
the  power  of  Christ  through  the  influence  of  his  Spirit. 
He  also  proceeded  to  show,  that  this  descent  of  the  spirit- 
ual kingdom  and  reign  of  Christ  was  in  perfect  harmony 
with  both  prophecy  and  promise ;  for,  "  This  Jesus  hath 
God  raised  up,  whereof  we  all  are  witnesses.  Therefore, 
being  by  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted,  and  having  receiv- 
ed of  the  Father  the  promise  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath 
shed  forth  this,  which  ye  now  see  and  hear,"  Acts  ii,  32,  33. 
In  the  light  of  these  facts  and  circumstances,  it  is  per- 
fectly clear  that  the  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  in  his  kingdom, 
that  was  soon  to  succeed  his  resurrection  and  ascension  to 
heaven,  was  spiritual,  and  not  visible  and  literal.  Christ 
himself  said,  "The  kingdom  of  God  cometh  not  with  ob- 
servation," or  outward  show,  Luke  xvii,  20.  And  Paul 
says,  "  For  the  kingdom  of  God  is  not  meat  and  drink ; 
but  righteousness,  and  peace,  and  joy  in  the  Holy  Ghost," 
Romans  xiv,  17.  And  while  the  kingdom  is  not  with  out- 
ward show  of  this  world,  but  purely  spiritual,  established 
in  the  heart  of  every  true  believer,  his  coming  therein  was 
of  the  same  character,  not  visible  and  literal,  as  it  will  be 
when  he  shall  come  to  judge  the  world ;  and  his  reign 
therein,  by  the  all-pervading  power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is 
the  mediatorial  reign  of  grace,  and  not  of  final  judgment. 
To  this,  the  inspired  writers  bear  ample  testimony.  "  And 
if  any  man  sin,  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father,  Jesus 
Christ  the  righteous,"  1  John  ii,  1.  "For  there  is  one 
God,  and  one  mediator  between  God  and  men,  the  man 
Christ  Jesus,"  1  Tim.  ii,  5.  "  Wherefore,  he  is  able  also 
to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that  come  unto  God  by  him, 
seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  them,"  Heb. 
vii,  25.  "  But  now  hath  he  obtained  a  more  excellent  min- 
istry, by  how  much  also  he  is  the  Mediator  of  a  better 
covenant,  which  was  established  upon  better  promises," 
Heb.  viii,  6.  - 


204  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

Now,  it  cannot  be  denied,  that  if  Jesus  Christ  is  our 
*' advocate,"  "mediator,"  and  "intercessor"  before  the 
throne  of  God,  it  is  absolutely  impossible  that  he  can  be 
sitting  in  final  judgment  on  tlie  world  at  the  same  time; 
and  if  he  is  really  and  literally  judging  the  world,  then  he 
cannot  be  our  mediator  in  heaven,  and  those  Scriptures  we 
have  quoted,  and  all  of  a  similar  character,  are  only  calcu- 
lated to  mislead,  and  totally  deceive  the  world. 

We  are,  therefore,  absolutely  compelled  utterly  to  reject 
the  preposterous  dogma  of  Universalism,  that  Christ  has 
long  since  come,  and  is  now  actually  sitting  in  linal  judg- 
ment on  the  world;  or  reject  the  testimony  of  the  word  of 
God,  contradict  the  apostles,  give  up  the  mediatorial  inter- 
cession of  Jesus  Christ,  and,  with  it,  the  hope  of  salvation ; 
for,  "Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other;  for  there  is 
none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby 
we  must  be  saved,"  Acts  iv,  12.  But  allow  the  authority 
of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  question  is  settled ;  Jesus  Christ 
is  our  glorious  mediator  in  heaven ;  his  spiritual  kingdom 
came,  and  his  spiritual  reign  commenced  by  the  influence 
of  his  grace  and  Spirit,  in  the  life-time  of  many  of  those 
who  heard  him  make  the  promise  of  his  coming  in  his 
kingdom. 

It  should  be  recollected,  however,  that  the  triumphs  of 
his  spiritual  kingdom  are  inseparable  from  his  reign  in  the 
kingdom  of  his  providence ;  for,  though  his  kingdom  is  not 
of  this  world,  its  conquests  are  to  be  achieved  in  this  world, 
and,  of  course,  it  has  to  be  established  among  his  enemies, 
who,  but  for  his  special  providence  and  grace  in  protecting 
and  sustaining  the  pious,  and  the  judgments  of  his  provi- 
dence, in  rebuking  and  restraining  the  wicked,  would  drive 
spiritual  piety  from  the  earth.  This  reign  of  Jesus  Christ 
in  the  kingdom  of  providence,  so  far  as  was,  and  is  neces- 
sary for  the  triumphs  of  his  grace,  has  been,  is  now,  and, 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  205 

doubtless,  ever  will  be,  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  case 
both  of  individuals  and  nations. 

For  example :  Herod  and  Saul  of  Tarsus,  both,  had 
knowledge  of  the  power  and  reign  of  Christ.  And  while 
the  latter,  penitendy  inquiring,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have 
me  to  do?"  Acts  ix,  6,  was,  under  the  administration  of 
Divine  grace,  converted  to  God,  and  made  eminently  useful 
to  the  world  as  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ ;  the  former,  in 
the  pride  of  his  heart,  "  because  he  gave  not  God  the  glory," 
was,  under  the  administration  of  Christ  in  the  kingdom  of 
his  providence,  "smitten  of  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  eaten 
of  worms,  and  gave  up  the  ghost,"  Acts  xii,  23.  Under 
the  same  administration,  Jerusalem,  long  honored  as  the 
place  of  the  record  of  the  name  of  God,  and  the  Jews,  long 
his  peculiar  people,  were  destroyed ;  while  Rome,  the  seat 
of  idolatry,  superstition  and  crime,  was  visited  by  the  light 
of  truth,  and  the  power  of  Divine  grace,  till  their  influence 
was  felt  even  in  the  palace  of  the  Coesars. 

This  Scriptural  view  of  the  kingdom,  coming,  and  reign 
of  Christ  in  this  world,  is  strongly  corroborated  by  facts, 
and  furnishes  Scriptural  ground  of  hope  to  the  penitent,  the 
Christian,  and  the  Church;  Christ  reigns  as  their  glorious 
mediator  in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  to  enlighten,  instruct, 
and  pardon  the  penitent,  sanctify  the  believer,  and  finally 
save  the  faithful  and  holy  in  heaven.  On  the  other  hand, 
sinners  should  fear ;  for  Christ  reigns  also  in  the  kingdom 
of  a  universal  providence,  to  restrain,  defeat,  and  confound 
the  malevolent  designs,  both  of  individuals  and  nations, 
against  his  children,  his  Church.  As  individuals,  to  alarm 
their  conscience,  as  in  the  case  of  Felix ;  and  if  they  are 
incorrigible,  to  destroy  them,  as  in  the  case  of  Herod:  as 
nations,  to  confuse  their  purposes,  and  humble  their  arro- 
gance and  pride,  as  in  the  case  of  France ;  and,  if  necessa- 
ry, to  destroy  them,  as  were  the  Jews  and  other  nations. 

It  only  remains  for  us  to  inquire,   whether  these  judg- 
18 


206  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [CHAP.    IX. 

ments  and  punishments,  inflicted  on  individuals  and  nations 
in  this  world,  by  our  Lord,  in  the  administration  of  his 
providence,  are  those  of  the  final  judgment;  that  is,  wheth- 
er under  this  reign  of  Christ,  sinners  are  punished  in  this 
world,  in  exact  proportion  to  the  number,  magnitude,  and 
aggravation  of  all  their  sins ;  and  that  there  is  no  possible 
punishment  awaiting  them  in  the  future  world,  however 
impious,  profane,  and  unholy  they  may  be,  both  in  life  and 
death. 

It  is  the  common  language  of  the  system,  that  the  cer- 
tainty of  punishment  for  all  sin  in  this  world,  is  the  "  moral 
power  of  Universalism ;"  the  sinner  knowing  that  he  can- 
not, by  repentance,  reformation,  faith,  pardon,  or  any  other 
means  whatever,  escape  the  entire  amount  of  punishment 
his  sins  deserve,  will  be  induced  thereby  to  avoid  sin  and 
live  holy.  It  is  to  secure  this  doctrine,  and  avoid  the  con- 
sequences of  a  future  judgment  and  retribution,  that  Univer- 
salism is  so  ardent  in  maintaining  that  the  second  advent  of 
Christ  is  long  since  passed  ;  but  if  the  contrary  of  this  doc- 
trine can  be  clearly  proved,  whatever  the  system  may  try  to 
make  out  of  the  language,  "  this  generation  shall  not  pass 
away,  and  some  of  you  shall  not  taste  of  death,  till  these 
things  be  done,"  it  will  be  perfectly  unavailing,  and  the  sys- 
tem and  its  votaries  must  stand  immutably  amenable  to  the 
bar  of  "  eternal  judgment." 

To  this  point  then  we  direct  the  inquiry.  The  idea  of 
man's  present  state  in  this  life  being  the  period  of  his  final 
judgment  and  retribution,  is  preposterous  in  the  extreme, 
and  is  an  insult  to  the  whole  character,  government,  and  ad- 
ministration of  God.  The  absolute  truth  of  this  is  suscep- 
tible of  the  clearest  proof.  For  example  :  take  the  case  of 
the  thousands  who  live  and  die  in  unbelief  and  wickedness  ; 
ask  them  on  the  bed  of  death,  if  they  do  not  know  assu- 
redly, that  they  have  been  finally  judged,  and  fully  pun- 
ished for  all  their  sins  in  this  life,  and  have  no  kind  of  dan- 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  207 

ger  to  apprehend  hereafter.  They  have  answered,  and 
they  will  answer,  and  that  too  under  circumstances  of  all 
others  most  calculated  to  prompt  to  truth  and  honesty — 
they  will  answer.  No ;  if  I  have  been  judged  and  punished 
for  all  my  sins  in  this  life,  I  do  not  know  the  time  when, 
and  the  place  where,  it  occurred.  I  do  not,  I  cannot  possi- 
bly believe  it.  Now,  from  these  solemn,  dying  testimonies, 
which  are  but  too  fearfully  multiplied,  it  follows  most  con- 
clusively, either,  1.  That  they  have  not  been  finally  judged 
and  fully  punished  for  all  their  sins  in  this  world;  or,  2. 
That  they  have  been,  and  they  knew  it,  but  utter  a  deliber- 
ate falsehood  in  the  moment  of  their  death ;  or,  3.  That 
they  have  been  thus  judged  and  punished ;  but  they  did  not 
know  it  when  they  died.  Universalism,  beyond  the  possi- 
bility of  escape,  must  meet  one  or  the  other  of  these  posi- 
tions. If  it  choose  the  first,  then  it  unconditionally  yields 
the  whole  question,  and  stands  condemned  out  of  its  own 
mouth.  If  the  second,  it  stands  condemned  for  the  worse 
than  atheistical  licentiousness,  of  promising  the  dying,  im- 
penitent opposer  of  God  and  his  law,  who  employs  his  last 
moments  in  deliberately  uttering  a  bold,  blasphemous  false- 
hood in  the  face  of  Deity  himself,  an  eternal  weight  of 
glory  in  heaven,  the  moment  he  consummates  the  crime, 
and  expires  in  the  act !  If  to  save  existence,  and  avoid  the 
blasp?iemy,  the  system  choose  the  third  position,  then  it  ad- 
mits the  charge,  that  Universalism,  to  save  the  doctrine  of 
punishment  for  sin  in  this  life,  traduces  and  insults  the  char- 
acter, government,  and  administration  of  God,  with  all  the 
provisions  of  the  Gospel  of  Jesus  Christ.  God  is  repre- 
sented in  the  Bible  as  moved  in  stupendous  mercy  to  make 
provision  for  the  salvation  of  man  ;  for  this  Jesus  Christ 
appears  on  earth,  bathed  in  his  own  tears  and  blood — the 
sun  is  vailed  in  sackcloth,  the  earth  trembles,  and  heaven  is 
moved  with  pity  to  save  man.  From  what?  Why,  to  be 
sure,  according  to  Universalism,  from  that  which  is  most 


208  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [ciIAP.    IX. 

alarming  and  dreadful — from  sin,  and  its  punishment;  the 
consequences  of  which  are  so  awful,  that  the  sinner  may- 
live  and  die  in  the  final  judgment,  and  punishment  therefor, 
and  pass  out  of  the  world,  and  enter  heaven,  and  neither 
know  or  believe  that  he  has  been  the  subject  of  any  such 
operation!  What  a  perfect  insult  to  Jehovah,  and  what 
encouragement  to  sinners  to  live  and  die  in  rebellion  against 
him  !  What  would  be  thought  of  a  human  government 
that  would  allow  the  thief,  robber,  murderer,  and  every 
other  class  of  offenders  against  the  peace  and  safety  of  so- 
ciety, to  commit  all  the  depredations  that  their  lusts,  ava- 
rice, malice,  and  every  other  unholy  passion  of  the  heart 
might  prompt  them  to ;  and  in  its  administration  of  justice, 
would  inflict  all  its  penalty  upon  the  bold  offenders,  to  se- 
cure their  reformation  and  the  good  of  community;  and 
yet  do  all  this  in  such  a  way,  that  the  transgressor  would 
be  arrested,  arraigned,  tried,  judged,  condemned,  and  pun- 
ished, and  at  the  same  time  neither  know,  or  believe,  that 
any  such  operation  of  justice  had  taken  place  in  his  case  ? 
Every  enlightened  and  candid  mind  would  say,  such  a  gov- 
ernment would  be  the  greatest  mockery  and  insult  possible 
of  all  law,  administration  and  justice,  and  should  be  stamped 
indellibly  with  endless  infamy.  But  Universalism,  by  un- 
avoidable consequences,  attributes  an  infinitely  worse  gov- 
ernment and  administration  to  the  God  of  heaven ;  and  how 
inconceivably  corrupt  must  be  that  system  which  is  bold 
enough  to  offer  such  indignities  to  the  Deity.  But  further 
on  this  subject :  the  sufferings  to  which  mankind  are  sub- 
ject in  this  world,  however  different  in  duration  and  de- 
gree, may  be  reduced  to  one  or  all  of  the  following  points : 
1.  The  sufferings  of  the  body;  or,  2.  Of  the  mind;  or,  3. 
The  sufferings  of  body  and  mind  together.  This  is  too 
plain  to  admit  of  proof;  and  it  follows,  therefore,  undenia- 
bly, that  if  men  are  finally  judged  and  fully  punished  for 
sin  in  this  life,  it  must  necessarily  consist  in  the  sufferings 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING   OF    CHRIST.  209 

of  their  body,  or  mind,  or  both.  That  it  consists  in  the 
bodily  sufferings  of  the  wicked,  no  one  can  assert  only  at 
the  peril  of  his  reputation  ;  for  it  is  a  fact  spread  out  before 
the  world,  known  and  read  of  all  men,  that  the  irreligious 
generally  are  as  free  from  pain  of  body  merely  as  the  pious. 
And,  doubtless,  a  minister  could  not  more  effectually  dis- 
grace himself  and  his  mission,  and  render  both  contempti- 
ble with  the  intelligent,  than  by  urging  as  a  reason  for  re- 
formation and  obedience  to  God,  that  the  wicked  were 
suffermg  great  bodily  pain,  above  what  the  pious  suffer; 
while  their  own  consciousness  would  contradict  the  mes- 
sage, and  brand  the  messenger  as  either  a  fool  or  a  knave. 
As  those  facts  can  neither  be  denied  or  resisted,  it  is  un- 
questionable, that  if  man  is  the  object  of  final  judgment, 
and  suffers  all  the  punishment  for  his  sins  in  this  world,  his 
sufferings  must  be  mental ;  and  if  so,  it  must  arise  from  one 
or  both  of  the  following  sources:  1.  External  circumstan- 
ces— disappointments  and  deprivations  beyond  all  that  the 
pious  are  subjected  to,  with  regard  to  the  business,  means 
of  comfort  and  happiness  of  this  world ;  or,  2.  Internal 
convictions — a  consciousness  of  violated  moral  obligations, 
either  in  the  neglect  of  duties,  or  the  willful  commission  of 
sin,  resulting  in  personal  guilt  of  mind. 

This  statement  of  the  case  fully  covers  the  question  in 
dispute  ;  and  let  us  now  inquire  whether  the  mental  suffer- 
ings of  the  wicked  in  this  final  judgment  in  this  world,  are 
caused  by  the  external  temporal  circumstances.  On  this  we 
need  only  look  at  facts  and  the  inspired  word,  to  be  fully  sat- 
isfied that  it  is  not  more  clear,  that  the  wicked  generally  do 
not  suffer  more  bodily  pain  in  this  world  than  the  righteous, 
than  it  is  that  they  do  not  suffer  more  mentally  than  the 
pious  do,  on  account  of  their  temporal  worldly  business  and 
circumstances.  And,  really,  these  facts  are  so  plain  to  the 
common  sense  of  every  man,  that  but  for  the  fact  that  Uni- 
versalism,  with  a  subtilty  characteristic  of  itself,  blends  the 
18* 


210  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

sufferings  of  man  in  this  world  with  other  matters,  and 
clothes  the  whole  with  sufficient  plausibility  to  mislead  and 
ruin  the  unsuspecting  and  credulous,  it  would  look  like  mere 
trifling,  gravely  to  refute  the  absurdity.  But  we  have  to 
follow  the  serpent  some  times  into  its  own  retreats  and  lurk- 
ing places,  before  we  can  fully  bruise  its  head. 

The  following  testimony  is  decisive:  "Wherefore  do 
the  wicked  live,  become  old,  yea,  are  mighty  in  power? 
Their  seed  is  established  in  their  sight  with  them,  and  their 
offspring  before  their  eyes.  Their  houses  are  safe  from 
fear,  neither  is  the  rod  of  God  upon  them,"  Job  xxi,  7-9. 
'*  For  I  was  envious  at  the  foolish,  when  I  saw  the  prosper- 
ity of  the  wicked.  For  there  are  no  bands  in  their  death : 
but  their  strength  is  firm.  They  are  not  in  trouble  as  other 
men ;  neither  are  they  plagued  like  other  men.  *  *  * 
Their  eyes  stand  out  with  fatness  :  they  have  more  than 
heart  could  wish,"  Psalm  Ixxiii,  3-7.  "Ye  have  lived  in 
pleasure  on  the  earth,  and  been  wanton  :  ye  have  nourished 
your  hearts,  as  in  a  day  of  slaughter.  Ye  have  condemned 
and  killed  the  just ;  and  he  doth  not  resist  you,"  James  v, 
5,  6.  The  above,  which  might  be  greatly  extended,  is 
directly  in  point,  that  if  the  wicked  are  finally  judged  and 
fully  punished  in  this  life,  their  sufferings  cannot  possibly 
arise  from  worldly  privations.  And  it  is  nothing  to  the 
purpose  to  refer  to  those  Scriptures  where  it  is  said,  the 
wicked  shall  suddenly  be  destroyed,  slain,  and  cut  off;  for, 
the  question  is  not,  whether  God  will  finally  cut  off  and 
destroy  the  ungodly  in  death,  but  whether,  during  life,  he, 
through  mental  suffering,  produced  by  external  circumstan- 
ces, punishes  him  fully  for  all  his  wickedness.  Neither 
will  it  meet,  or  relieve  the  case,  to  say  that,  though  God 
does  not  punish  the  sinner  during  life,  he  does  in  death,  by 
thus  suddenly  cutting  off  and  destroying  him  from  the  earth  ; 
for  tliis,  so  far  from  being  really  a  punishment  for  sin,  is 
but  a  sudden  transition  from  earth  to  heaven.     And  Univer- 


CHAP.    IX.1  SFXOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  211 

salism,  if  it  should  attempt  to  escape  at  this  point,  cannot 
avoid  appearing  in  its  own  true  character,  by  affirming,  in 
substance,  "  Beware,  sinner ;  you  are  in  awful  danger,  be 
greatly  alarmed  ;  for,  though  God  does  not  punish  you  fully 
as  you  pass  through  the  world  in  wickedness,  yet  there  is 
an  awful  period  approaching,  when  God  will  cut  off  and 
destroy  you  in  a  moment,  and  you  will  be  the  object  of  the 
overwhelming  calamity  of  being  cut  ofT  instantly,  and  taken 
from  all  the  gloom  of  earth,  to  the  joys  and  glory  of 
heaven." 

The  system  must,  therefore,  either  render  itself  thus  pei 
fectly  odious  to  all  the  intelligent,  or  confess  that  men  are 
not  fully  punished  for  their  sins  in  this  life,  either  in  body 
or  mind,  by  any  external  or  worldly  circumstances.  We 
have  now  only  to  see,  whether  the  wicked  are  fully  punish- 
ed in  this  world  by  personal  conviction  and  mental  agony, 
for  the  violation  of  moral  obligation.  It  is  not  the  design 
to  speculate  on  the  subject  of  conscience,  or  the  "  moral 
sense,"  as  some  are  pleased  to  call  it,  but  to  notice  some 
facts  which  concern  this  point. 

We  will  allow  Universalism,  in  order  to  make  the  best 
of  its  case,  to  claim  any  character  or  capacity  for  suffering 
in  the  conscience  or  mind  of  man,  that  it  may  choose  ;  and 
whatever  may  be  its  position  on  the  point,  it  must  neces- 
sarily include  the  following  principle,  namely  :  Before  man 
can  feel  guilt  of  conscience,  or  mental  pain  of  any  kind, 
for  neglect  of  duty  towards,  or  for  violating  the  laws  of  any 
being  or  character,  he  must  be  conscious  that  he  is  under 
moral  obligation  to  cherish  and  exercise  faith,  hope,  trust, 
love,  fear,  or  obedience,  towards  such  character  or  being. 
The  exercise  of  these  powers  and  affections  of  the  soul 
towards,  and  in  the  service  of  God,  is  everywhere  recog- 
nized in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

With  these  undeniable  facts  before  us,  it  is  easy  to  show, 
that  the  last  resort  of  Universalism,  under  this  head,  the 


212  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

final  punishment  for  sin  in  this  world  by  mental  sufferings, 
or  guilt  of  conscience,  is,  in  the  case  of,  at  least,  all  infidels 
and  atheists,  absolutely  impossible.  And  it  will  not  be  ne- 
cessary to  adduce  proof  from  the  Bible,  to  those  who  be- 
lieve it  to  be  the  word  of  God,  to  show  that  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  is  presented  to  man  as  the  object  of  his  faith,  hope, 
love,  trust,  holy  fear  and  obedience ;  to  deny  this,  would  be 
to  deny  the  plainest  doctrines  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures : 
and  to  those  who  recognize  the  authority  of  Christ,  the 
violation  of  those  obligations,  the  neglect  of  those  duties 
enjoined  by  the  laws  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  are  to  them 
the  cause  of  guilt,  and  more  or  less  mental  pain  and  suffer- 
ing. But  how  is  it  with  the  infidel  ?  He  believes  that  Christ 
is  an  impostor,  the  Bible  an  imposition  on  the  ignorance  and 
credulity  of  man,  and,  so  far  from  feeling  that  he  is  under 
moral  obligations  to  believe  in,  reverence,  and  obey  Christ 
as  a  Savior,  he  has  no  hope  or  trust  in,  love,  or  fear  for  him 
whatever;  but,  on  the  contrary,  would  feel  himself  debased 
and  degraded  for  either ;  therefore,  it  is  absolutely  impossi- 
ble that  the  infidel  can  be  mentally  punished  in  this  world, 
on  Universal ist  principles,  for  the  sin  of  utterly  rejecting 
the  only  Savior  of  men,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

And  the  same  consequences  must  follow  in  the  case  of 
the  atheist ;  for,  totally  disbelieving  the  existence  of  God, 
he  cannot  be  an  object  of  faith,  hope,  trust,  fear,  or  love; 
and,  for  withholding  these  from  a  being  whose  very  exist- 
ence he  disbelieves  and  denies,  to  be  to  him  a  source  of 
mental  guilt  and  suffering,  is  an  absurdity  that  can  only  be 
equaled  by  other  features  of  Universalism.  And  to  escape 
this  conclusion,  the  system  must  either  affirm  that  man  can 
be  the  subject  of  a  guilty  conscience,  suffer  all  the  punish- 
ment due  to  sin  in  mental  anguish  and  pain,  without  feeling 
any  obligations  to  faith,  hope,  trust,  fear,  love  or  obedience, 
or  deny  that  there  ever  was,  is  now,  or  ever  will  be,  an  infi- 
del or  an  atheist  in  the  world.     To  assert  the  former,  is  to 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    CO^IING    OF    CHRIST.  213 

contradict  the  consciousness  and  common  sense  of  every 
rational  man  in  the  world ;  and  to  deny  the  latter,  is  to 
charge  all  professed  infidels  and  atheists  with  falsehood  and 
hypocrisy,  and  at  the  same  moment,  to  assure  them  that 
they  are  as  absolutely  sure  of  heaven,  though  they  should 
live  and  die  consummate  hypocrites  and  liars,  as  if  they 
were  already  enjoying  endless  glory  in  heaven. 

And  the  force  of  these  consequences  can  neither  be  de- 
stroyed or  diminished,  by  asserting  that  we  hold  that  all 
men,  whether  infidels,  atheists,  or  whatever  else  may  be 
their  moral  character,  are  visited  with  more  or  less  of  Di- 
vine influence,  and  convicted  of  sin,  and  guilt,  and  the  ne- 
cessity of  salvation.  We  do  maintain  this,  and  that,  too, 
on  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God ;  but,  so  far  from  this 
conviction  of  the  Holy  Spirit  being  the  full  amount  of  pun- 
ishment for  their  sins,  and  that  punishment,  too,  the  result 
of  the  final  judgment  in  their  case,  it  is  only  the  operation 
of  Divine  grace,  to  enlighten  their  minds,  correct  their  infi- 
delity and  atheism,  humble  them  into  penitency,  that  they 
may  not  be  punished  in  the  final  judgment,  but  be  pardon- 
ed here,  sanctified  by  grace  through  faith,  and  saved  finally 
in  heaven. 

But  should  we  allow  all  the  system  contends  for  on  this 
point,  that  men,  from  a  consciousness  of  violated  moral  ob- 
ligation, extreme  guilt,  exquisite  mental  anguish,  are  fully 
punished  in  this  world  for  all  their  sins ;  so  far  from  such 
admission  relieving  the  system,  it  would  only  aggravate  and 
increase  its  difficulties.  It  cannot  be  denied,  that  self- 
reproach,  shame,  conviction  of  sin,  a  guilty  conscience, 
and  all  mental  suffering  consequent  thereof,  are  necessarily 
connected  with,  and  inseparable  from,  a  belief  that  all  those 
actions  for  which  he  is  the  subject  of  guilt,  were  perfectly 
free  and  unconstrained,  and  that  he  was  just  as  free  to  have 
done  what  he  neglected,  as  he  was  to  do  what  was  forbid- 
den.    Nothing  can  be  more  absurd  than  the  idea,  that  a  man 


214  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  [cHAP.    IX. 

can,  self-condemned,  feel  guilty  of  crime,  and  suffer  under 
a  guilty  conscience  for  doing,  or  not  doing,  that  which  he 
believed  was  impossible  ;  for  not  controlling  that  which  he 
believed  to  be  perfectly  beyond  his  control.  As  well  might 
he  be  convicted  of  sin  and  guilt,  for  the  state  of  his  health, 
without  any  indiscretion  on  his  part,  or  suffer  guilt  for  the 
color  of  his  hair,  or  eyes,  or  for  breathing  the  vital  air,  as 
for  any  act  of  his  life,  unless  he  at  least  believed  that  he 
acted  freely. 

These  facts  appeal  to  the  experience  and  consciousness 
of  every  man,  and  can  no  more  be  denied  than  the  fact  of 
our  own  conviction  of,  and  belief  in,  our  personal  conscious- 
ness. We  have  now  only  to  call  to  mind  the  sentiments  of 
the  system  on  the  freedom  of  human  actions ;  and  it  must 
be  recollected  that  it  has  been  clearly  shown,  that  its  real 
position  is,  that  man  has  no  power,  freedom,  will,  or 
agency,  to  act  contrary  to  the  will  of  God,  or  otherwise 
than  he  does,  at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances ;  and, 
indeed,  any  other  view  of  man's  agency  is  absolutely  irre- 
concilable with  Universalism.  Keeping  these  facts  before 
us,  we  remark,  that  men,  in  all  their  moral  conduct,  either 
do,  or  they  do  not,  believe  that  they  act  free ;  and  that  in 
all  cases  of  duty,  they  were  as  free  to  neglect,  as  they  were 
to  do  them ;  and  in  all  sin,  they  were  as  free  to  avoid  as 
they  were  to  commit  them.  Universalism  must,  of  neces- 
sity, take  either  the  negative  or  the  affirmative.  If  the 
former,  then  it  must  maintain  that  in  all  moral  actions  men 
do  not  believe  that  they  act  free;  and  of  necessity  they 
must  believe  that  their  conduct  is  the  result  of  God's  immu- 
table purpose,  or  some  other  power  over  which  they  have 
no  possible  control.  If  so,  it  is  impossible  that  they  can 
suffer  under  a  guilty  conscience,  or  be  the  subjects  of  men- 
tal anguish  and  guilt,  for  the  crime  of  not  performing  an  ab- 
solute impossibility.  Universalism,  therefore,  cannot  take 
the  negative  without  yielding  the  question,  and  admitting  at 


CHAP.    IX.]  SECOND    COMING    OF    CHRIST.  215 

once,  that  man,  under  such  circumstances  and  with  such  be- 
lief, cannot  possibly  suffer  mentally  from  a  consciousness 
of  guilt,  and  consequently  cannot  be  punished  for  sin  in 
this  world,  if  indeed  he  could  sin  at  all  under  such  circum- 
stances. There  is,  therefore,  no  alternative  for  the  system, 
but  to  maintain  that  men  in  all  their  moral  actions  do  believe 
that  they  act  freely.  And  as  Universalism  does  really  main- 
tain that  man  has  no  power  or  agency  to  act  contrary  to  the 
will  of  God,  it  follows  most  conclusively,  that  God  acts 
with  consummate  duplicity,  in  forcing  upon  man  the  convic- 
tion and  belief  that  he  acts  perfectly  free  in  all  his  moral 
conduct,  while  the  contrary  is  absolutely  the  fact  in  the 
case ;  and  thereby  man  is  most  cruelly  mocked  and  deceived 
by  his  Maker.  Universalism,  by  legitimate  and  inevitable 
consequences,  attributes  all  this  to  the  Almighty,  in  order 
to  create  a  Universalist  hell,  in  which  fully  to  punish  the 
wicked  in  this  world — this  day  of  final  judgment,  which 
has  been  in  progress  for  nearly  six  thousand  years,  and  yet 
the  world  has  known  nothing  of  it,  till  very  recently  Uni- 
versalism made  the  discovery,  and  revealed  to  man  the  aw- 
ful secret ! 

Once  more :  to  bring  the  actions  of  man  under  the  rules 
of  absolute  necessity,  then  deceive  him  with  regard  to  the 
facts  and  circumstances  under  which  he  acts,  charge  him  as 
a  guilty  rebel  for  not  violating  the  immutable  purpose  of 
God,  condemn  him  in  the  final  judgment,  and  punish  him 
for  not  performing  absolute  impossibilities,  amounts  to  a  de- 
gree of  injustice  and  consummate  cruelty,  of  which  the 
mind  cannot  conceive,  and  of  which  none  but  the  spirit  of 
unmingled  malevolence  is  capable  ;  and  yet,  by  conclusions 
which  cannot  be  avoided,  Universalism,  to  maintain  the 
dogma  that  sin  is  fully  punished  in  this  world,  and  to  avoid 
the  consequences  of  a  future  judgment  at  the  end  of  time, 
attributes  all  this  to  Jehovah. 

The  alternative,  therefore,  is  inevitable,  either  to  reject 


216  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [CHAP.    X. 

Uiiiversalism  as  utterly  false  and  ruinous,  or  totally  reject 
the  Bible  as  a  record  of  the  will  of  God  to  man.  With  ev- 
ery honest  heart  the  decision  is  easily  made. 

In  conclusion,  we  have  seen  that  the  coming  of  Christ  in 
liis  kingdom,  which  was  to  commence  in  the  life-time  of 
his  apostles,  was  not  for  the  final  judgment,  and  fully  to 
punish  the  wicked  in  this  world ;  and,  also,  that  the  wicked 
are  not,  and  absolutely  cannot  be  fully  punished  in  this 
world,  for  their  infidelity,  atheism,  and  rebellion  against 
God;  and  as  these  are  subjects  of  both  promise  and  pro- 
phecy, and  have  not  taken  place,  and  cannot  take  place,  in 
this  state  of  being  they  must  be  future,  or  never  occur.  If 
the  latter,  the  word  of  God  must  fail ;  if  the  former,  then 
Universalism  is  an  imposture. 


CHAPTER  X. 

FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT. 

Future  General  Judgment  and  Retribution — Is  believed — And  must 
have  Originated  with  God  or  man — The  General  Judgment  must  be 
either  Past,  Progressive,  or  Future — Cannot  be  Past — Cannot  be  Pro- 
gressive— Objections  Anticipated — Principles  to  be  observed  in  Inves- 
tigating this  Subject — Proofs  of  a  Future  Judgment — Christ  will 
come  Literally  and  Visibly — With  the  Voice  of  the  Archangel  and 
the  Trump  of  God — The  Dead  will  be  Raised  and  the  Living  Chang- 
ed— Every  Intelligent  Being  in  the  Universe  will  be  Personally  Pres- 
ent in  the  Final  Judgment — The  Visible  World  will  be  the  Subject 
of  Universal  Conflagration — AH  will  be  Judged  according  to  the  Ev- 
idence of  their  Works — The  Good  Rewarded  with  Endless  Life — The 
Wicked  Punished  with  Endless  Misery — Those  Principles  previously 
Established  Applied — The  Great,  Unchangeable,  and  Final  Results. 

No  doctrine  taught  in  the  Bible  has  been  more  abhorred 
and  violently  opposed  by  the  irreligious,  or  more  firmly  be- 
lieved and  defended  by  the  pious,  than  tlie  doctrine  of  a 
future  period  of  final  judgment  and  retribution;  and  it  is  a 
matter  of  no  small  suspicion,  that  Universalism,  claiming  as 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENEUAL    JUDGMENT.  217 

it  does  to  believe  the  Bible,  should  be  the  foremost  in  the 
ranks  of  opposition  to  this  doctrine  ;  while  infidelity,  athe- 
ism, and  the  most  impious  of  our  race,  follow  in  its  wake, 
and  are  ever  ready  to  exult  in  its  apparent  success.  Ad- 
monished by  this  of  the  importance  of  the  subject,  we  will 
examine  it  with  care  and  candor ;  and  as  Universalism  and 
infidelity  are  alike  interested,  for  the  benefit  of  both,  we 
will  go  a  step  farther  back,  and  commence  with  a  few  facts 
which  are  incontrovertible. 

First;  in  every  period  of  the  world,  and  especially  where 
the  Bible  has  been  read  and  believed,  the  doctrine  of  a  future 
final  judgment  and  retribution,  is  known  and  believed  with 
more  or  less  clearness,  and  to  a  greater  or  less  extent.  This 
fact  of  the  existence  of  the  doctrine,  as  a  hypothesis  or 
theory,  is  too  plain  to  require,  or  admit  of  proof. 

Second ;  as  this  doctrine  exists  as  a  theory,  and  is  be- 
lieved by  so  many  millions  of  mankind,  it  must  of  neces- 
sity have  had  an  origin  and  author.  To  deny  this,  is  to 
suppose  an  eff*ect  without  a  cause,  or  that  it  existed  from 
eternity ;  the  former  would  be  perfectly  absurd,  the  latter 
would  be  to  admit  the  divinity  of  the  doctrine.  The  ques- 
tion then  arises,  Who  was  the  author  of  this  hated  doctrine  ? 
The  common  skepticism  of  the  day,  and  Universalism  the 
foremost,  answers,  "  Man  was  its  author.  It  originated  in 
the  darkness  of  heathenism,  and  was  borrowed  from  thence, 
and  grafted  into,  and  is  one  of  the  corruptions  of,  modern 
Christianity,"  is  the  answer  of  skepticism  in  all  its  modifi- 
cations. If  this  doctrine  originated  with  man,  whether  one 
or  many,  he,  or  they,  must  have  been  either  morally  good, 
or  morally  bad.  On  this,  skepticism  is  not  decided,  and 
takes  the  position  that  may  best  suit  the  exigencies  of  the 
case  for  the  time  being. 

We  will  examine  both  those  points.  And,  first,  if  wick- 
ed men  originated  the  doctrine,  they  must  have  acted  either 
with,  or  without  inducement  or  motive.     To  aflUrm  that  they 

19 


218  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

acted  wholly  without  motive,  is  what  no  man  will  do  who 
desires  either  his  judgment  or  honesty  to  be  respected 
among  the  intelligent.  And  if  they  acted  under  induce- 
ments, they  must  have  had  reference  to  this,  the  future 
world,  or  both.  But  who  is  credulous  enough  to  believe 
that  any  one,  who  believes  in  God,  and  a  future  state,  was 
presumptuous  enough  to  traduce  the  Divine  character  by- 
originating  a  known  falsehood,  which  would  mislead  almost 
the  whole  of  our  race ;  and  that,  too,  under  motives  drawn 
from  the  future  world?  The  idea  is  too  preposterous  to  be 
indulged  for  a  moment. 

It  is,  therefore,  entirely  clear,  that  if  wicked  men  con- 
ceived this  doctrine,  they  must  have  been  wholly  influenced 
by  motives  drawn  from  this  world.  But  what  is  the  rela- 
tion wicked  men  in  this  world  sustain  to  the  solemn  doc- 
trine of  a  final  judgment?  That  doctrine  extends  its  im- 
perious claims  to  the  whole  man,  including  minutely  all  the 
moral  feelings  and  purposes  of  his  heart,  all  the  language 
of  his  lips,  and  all  the  actions  of  his  life ;  marking  every 
departure  from  moral  right,  as  an  item  in  the  great  account 
of  final  retribution ;  so  that  this  doctrine  is  now,  a  publica- 
tion to  the  world  of  the  fearful  delinquency  of  the  sinner 
here,  and  his  final  infamy  hereafter.  And,  to  suppose  that 
wicked  men  would  thus  take  pains  to  publish  their  own  de- 
gradation to  the  world  before-hand,  while  the  whole  history 
of  man  furnishes  proof  to  the  contrary,  is  an  absurdity  which 
can  only  find  a  parallel  in  other  features  of  Universalist 
skepticism.  And  if  wicked  men,  for  those,  and  other 
reasons  which  might  be  named,  would  not  originate  this  doc- 
trine, good  men  absolutely  could  not  be  its  autliors ;  for, 
according  to  the  objector,  the  doctrine  is  basely  false,  a  per- 
nicious imposture ;  and,  to  suppose  that  good  men  were  its 
authors,  is  to  assume  that  men  can  be  base  and  willful  liars, 
wicked  impostors,  and  at  the  same  time,  pious,  good  men. 
This  is  an  absolute,  moral  impossibility. 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  219 

And  should  undisguised  infidelity  claim  that  angels,  or 
some  other  beings,  might  have  invented  this  doctrine,  it 
will  not  meet  the  difficulty  ;  for,  where  does  infidelity  ob- 
tain its  information  that  there  are  such  beings  in  the  universe 
as  it  here  refers  to?  Surely,  nowhere  but  in  the  Bible. 
And  should  it  allow  the  truth  of  the  Bible,  in  order  to  prove 
this  point,  we  have  only  to  appeal  to  the  same  source  clearly 
to  prove  the  doctrine  of  a  general  judgment.  But,  waiving 
this,  and  admitting  the  existence  of  such  beings,  indepen- 
dent of  the  Bible,  the  same  facts  and  arguments  apply  to 
them  that  do  to  the  case  of  men,  and  the  conclusions  must 
be  the  same.  As  wicked  men  never  would,  and  good  men 
never  could,  invent  this  doctrine;  so  neither  would  wicked, 
nor  could  good  angels,  be  the  authors  of  such  an  imposition. 
These  facts  and  conclusions  leave  no  alternative,  but  to 
admit  that  God  is  the  author  of  this  sublime  doctrine  of  a 
general  judgment  and  final  retribution.  Of  this,  the  Bible 
furnishes  ample  proof. 

And  if  it  is  a  part  of  the  immutable  plan  of  God,  that 
the  world  will  be  judged  in  righteousness,  there  must  be  a 
time  in  which  this  great  work  will  be  effected.  And  though 
this,  in  part,  has  been  anticipated,  we  will  here  be  more 
particular,  and  endeavor  to  place  it  beyond  a  reasonable 
doubt.  With  the  fact  before  us  that  the  Bible  clearly  teaches 
this  doctrine,  and  that  God  is  its  author,  it  must  follow, 
1.  The  judgment  must  be  past,  and  fully  consummated; 
or,  2.  It  must  be  progressive,  having  commenced  with  the 
first  man,  and  will  continue  in  progress  till  the  end  of  time, 
and  the  present  constitution  of  this  world ;  or,  3.  It  is  yet 
future,  and  will  take  place  at  the  close  of  time  in  this  world, 
and  be  the  point  at  which  every  man's  destiny  will  be  fixed 
for  eternity.  Universalism  unequivocally  denies  the  last 
member  of  this  statement,  and  is  designedly  indifinite  and 
obscure  on  the  two  former ;  and  generally  vacillates  between 
a  past  and  progressive  judgment,  as  may  best  suit  its  con- 


220  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [ciIAP.    X. 

venience  for  proselyting  or  debate.  Of  this  we  might  ad- 
duce many  proofs  and  examples,  if  it  were  necessary. 

That  the  general  judgment  is  past,  and  finally  concluded, 
is  an  absurdity  so  gross,  that  Universalism  resorts  to  it  now 
with  much  more  reluctance  than  formerly ;  and,  indeed,  it 
is  matter  of  astonishment,  that  any  one  who  expects  either 
his  good  sense,  or  his  honesty,  to  be  respected  by  commu- 
nity, should  ever  take  the  position  ;  and  it  is  hard  to  resist 
the  conviction  that  they  know  better,  but  resort  to  it  on  the 
assumed  credulity,  or  gross  ignorance  of  the  people.  When 
this  position  is  taken,  Universalism  relies  principally  for  its 
support  on  the  judgments  of  the  Lord  upon  the  Jews,  in 
the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  their  temple,  and  national 
polity.  But  we  have  shown  in  another  place,  that  this,  so 
far  from  being  the  final  judgment,  even  in  their  case,  was 
only  a  feature  of  the  administration  of  Christ  in  his  media- 
torial reign  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  and  providence,  hum- 
bling the  pride,  and  defeating  the  infidelity  of  a  people — a 
nation ;  taking  them  out  of  the  way  for  the  time  being,  the 
cup  of  their  iniquity  being  full,  for  the  more  successful 
reign  of  grace,  that  the  fullness  of  the  Gentiles  might  be 
brought  into  his  Gospel  kingdom.  Besides,  if  we  were  to 
admit  that  this  was  the  final  judgment  of  the  Jews,  would 
that  constitute  the  final  judgment  of  the  whole  of  our  race  ? 
Most  assuredly  not ;  no  more  than  a  drop  of  water  consti- 
tutes the  ocean,  a  grain  of  sand  the  globe,  or  a  ray  of  light 
the  luminary  of  day. 

The  position  involves  an  absolute  impossibility;  for  as 
this  doctrine  includes  the  whole  of  our  race,  there  is  no  pe- 
riod in  the  past  at  which  the  whole  human  family  could  pos- 
sibly have  been  finally  judged  and  rewarded;  and  wherever 
that  period  may  be  fixed,  if  it  were  even  at  the  present  time, 
it  is  utterly  impossible  that  the  millions  that  have  gone  into 
eternity  previously  thereto,  and  the  millions  yet  unborn, 
could  have  been,  or  ran  be,  the  subjects  of  such  judgment; 


CHAP.  X.J      FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  221 

and  Universalism  is  compelled  either  lo  reject  the  Bible  on 
the  subject  of  a  general  judgment,  and  take  the  ground  of 
undisguised  infidelity,  or  give  up  the  absurdity  of  a  general 
judgment  passed.  It  is,  therefore,  perfectly  clear,  if  the 
Bible  is  to  be  reverenced,  and  its  testim.ony  regarded,  the 
inquiry  is  narrowed  down  to  two  points ;  namely,  a  pro- 
gressive and  future  judgment.  A  progressive  judgment  is 
the  last  possible  ground  of  hope  for  Universalism.  And 
while  we  refer  to  the  preceding  chapter  for  some  of  the  dif- 
ficulties attending  this  position,  we  will  adduce  further 
proofs  against  this  dogma  of  the  scheme. 

First;  it  is  a  perversion  throughout  of  the  word  of  God 
on  this  subject,  and  converts  the  dignified  language  of  the 
Lord  into  nonsense  ;  for  it  will  not  be  questioned,  that  in 
speaking  of  the  general  judgment,  God  has  given  it  a  defi- 
nite locality— a  point  that  distinguishes  it  from  all  other 
time,  and  all  other  acts  of  the  Divine  administration.  For 
instance :  '*  He  hath  appointed  a  day  in  which  he  will 
judge  the  world."  "  We  must  all  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat of  Christ."  "  Every  one  of  us  shall  give  ac- 
count of  himself  to  God."  Indeed  language  more  une- 
quivocal could  not  have  been  used  to  make  the  final  gen- 
eral judgment  special  and  particular,  in  opposition  to  time 
and  events  generally,  than  that  which  has  been  employed. 
But  when  God  says,  "  I  have  appointed  a  day  in  which  the 
world  shall  be  judged,"  Universalism  makes  him  mean,  in 
absolute  opposition  to  any  particular  time  or  period,  I  have 
appointed  all  time,  from  the  creation  of  man  till  the  end  of 
time;  this  in  opposition  to  all  days,  is  the  day  of  final  judg- 
ment! And  when  it  is  said,  "we  must  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,"  "  to  give  account  to  God,"  he 
means,  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ  is  really  spread  over 
the  whole  habitable  earth  ;  that  every  one  shall  not  give  ac- 
count of  himself  to  God,  or  if  he  does,  he  shall  not  know 
when  or  where;  and  tliat  he  shall  not  receive  in  the  judg- 
19' 


222  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

ment  according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body ;  or  if  he 
does,  he  shall  not  know,  feel,  or  believe  it,  as  has  already- 
been  clearly  shown. 

Now,  if  the  doctrine  of  a  progressive  judgment  be  true, 
it  follows  with  all  the  force  of  demonstration,  that  the  Bible 
cannot  be  a  faithful  record  of  the  will  of  God  to  man;  or  if 
the  Bible  teaches  the  will  of  God,  then  Universalism,  to 
sustain  the  doctrine  of  a  progressive  judgment,  is  chargea- 
ble with  a  bold  perversion  of  the  holy  record. 

Second;  the  Bible  teaches,  in  unequivocal  terms,  that 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  judge  of  the  world.  To  deny 
this  would  be  to  deny  the  Bible,  and  to  adduce  proof  would, 
in  this  place,  be  a  mere  waste  of  time  ;  consequently,  what- 
ever that  judgment  may  be,  and  whenever  it  may  take 
place,  Christ  must  be  the  judge,  and  every  human  being 
must  be  the  subject  of  that  final  judgment.  And  let  it 
still  be  recollected,  that  Universalism  maintains  that  Je- 
sus Christ,  in  the  utmost  dignity  of  his  nature  and  charac- 
ter, is  a  created  and  dependent  being ;  and  it  has  not  had 
the  temerity  to  affirm,  that  he  exercised  the  power  of 
judge  till  he  came  into  the  world,  and  even  not  then  till 
after  his  resurrection  and  ascension  to  heaven ;  but  it  allows 
that  the  time  of  his  assuming  the  powers  of  judgment,  was 
when  he  came  in  his  kingdom  during  the  life-time  of  some 
who  heard  him  in  his  ministrations  on  earth.  Now,  waiv- 
ing the  perfectly  revolting  thought,  that  a  created  and  de- 
pendent being,  who,  of  necessity,  must  be  finite  and  limited 
in  wisdom,  and  all  the  powers  of  his  nature  and  character, 
is  finally  to  judge  and  fix  man's  destiny  for  eternity ;  and 
the  fact  that  it  is  impossible  for  such  a  being,  who  is  not 
omnipresent  or  infinite,  to  be  everywhere  present  over  the 
face  of  the  whole  world,  at  the  same  time  carrying  on  the 
work  of  a  progressive  judgment — waiving  all  this,  we  see 
from  the  system's  own  showing,  that  tlie  facts,  so  far  from 
sustaining  if,  prove  most  conclusively  the  contrary.     For  if 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  223 

the  world  and  the  human  family  were  in  existence  and  pro- 
gress for  four  thousand  years  before  Christ  had  an  exist- 
ence— or  if  he  existed,  at  least  before  he  was  invested  with 
the  prerogatives  and  powers  of  judgment,  nothing  can  be 
plainer  than  the  fact,  that  the  world,  or  mankind  living  in 
the  world,  previous  to  the  time  he  received  authority  to 
judge,  was  not,  and  absolutely  could  not  be  judged  by 
Christ.  And  it  will  be  wholly  unavailing  for  the  system  to 
assert,  that  men  were  judged  previously  to  that  time  by  the 
Father.  This  will  only  confirm  the  difficulty;  for  if  the 
world  for  four  thousand  years  was  finally  judged  and  fully 
rewarded  and  punished  by  the  Father,  it  is  utterly  impossi- 
ble for  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  judge  of  the  world  ;  and  the 
most  that  can  be  said  of  him  in  truth  is,  if  he  should  judge 
all  the  rest  of  mankind,  that  he  is  judge  of  but  a  part  of  the 
world.  We  see  here,  also,  that  the  system  must  reject  the 
testimony  of  the  Scriptures,  which  proclaim  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  as  the  final  judge  of  the  whole  human  race,  or  yield 
the  absurdity  of  a  progressive  judgment. 

Third  ;  the  doctrine  of  a  progressive  judgment  involves 
an  absolute  impossibility.  It  has  already  been  shown,  that 
Christ  reigns  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  as  the  one  and  only 
mediator  between  God  and  men ;  that  he  ever  liveth  to 
make  intercession  for  us  ;  and  if  so,  he  cannot  possibly  be  sit- 
ting upon  the  throne,  administering  justice  in  the  final  judg- 
ment and  retribution  ;  for  it  is  not  only  unsupported  by  tlie 
Bible,  and  wholly  incompatible  with  every  idea  we  can 
form  of  law  and  government,  but  is  both  morally  and  natu- 
rally impossible,  for  the  same  identical  person,  at  the  veiy 
same  time,  with  reference  to  any  one  man,  to  be  his  advo- 
cate and  mediator  at  the  bar,  inviting  his  return  to  God, 
ofll*ering  him  all  the  fullness  of  Divine  grace  and  mercy,  for 
his  reformation  and  salvation ;  and  precisely  at  the  same 
point  of  time  be  his  final  and  inflexible  judge  upon  the 
throne,  sternly  administering  the  justice  of  the  final  judg- 


224  FUTURE    GENER.VL   JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

ment,  and  fixing  his  destiny  for  the  vast  future — the  eternal 
world.  And  notwithstanding  the  impossibility  of  this  in 
any  one  man's  case,  (and  the  mind  cannot  conceive  of  an 
absurdity  of  equal  magnitude,)  Universalism  must  place  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  this  most  ridiculous  attitude  to  every 
member  of  the  human  family,  in  order  to  sustain  a  progres- 
sive judgment.  It  follows,  therefore,  with  a  conclusiveness 
and  force  that  the  enlightened  mind  will  feel,  that  Univer- 
salism must  either,  1.  Boldly  deny  the  mediation  of  Jesus 
Christ,  destroy  the  reign  of  grace,  and  thereby  put  an  end 
to  salvation,  and  take  its  stand  in  common  brotherhood  with 
infidelity ;  or,  2.  Yield  the  point,  and  admit  the  impossi- 
bility of  a  progressive  judgment ;  or,  3.  Sustain  all  the  con- 
sequences and  impossibilities  as  shown  above,  and  thereby 
insult  the  common  sense  of  mankind ;  either  of  which 
positions  must  prove  alike  fatal  to  the  system,  and  destroy, 
or  strip  it  of  the  last  vestige  of  the  name  of  Christianity  as 
taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Now,  with  the  Bible  before  us,  in  which  a  general  judg- 
ment, when  and  wheresoever  it  may  take  place,  is  so  fully 
taught  that  Universalism  itself  has  to  admit  it ;  and  in  view 
of  the  facts  and  proofs,  acquiring  the  strength  of  demon- 
stration, that  this  event  in  the  administration  of  God  can 
neither  be  passed  nor  progressive  in  the  world,  there  is  no 
alternative  between  admitting  it  to  be  future,  and  totally  re- 
jecting the  doctrine,  and  with  it  the  Bible  in  which  it  is 
taught.  And  if,  in  the  absence  of  the  direct  proofs  of  the 
doctrine,  all  who  revere  the  Scriptures  as  higher  authority 
than  the  speculations  of  men,  admit  the  divinity  of  the 
doctrine,  when  they  shall  see  it  in  the  light  of  the  direct 
testimony  which  may  be  brought  to  its  support,  it  will  stand 
with  the  clearness  of  tlie  noonday's  sun. 

But  before  we  adduce  tliis  proof,  we  will  anticipate  an 
objection  to  tlie  doctrinn,  and  then  establish  some  principles 
that  must  be  regarded  in  all  investigations  on  this  subject. 


CHAP.  X.]     FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  225 

The  objection  referred  to  is  well  expressed  by  Mr.  J.  Kid- 
well.  He  says,  "  Now  we  ask,  where  is  the  necessity  of 
this  supposed  judgment  day  ?  Does  not  this  same  system 
of  faith  teach  us,  that  the  final  doom  of  all  is  fixed  at  death  ? 
If  so,  will  this  day  of  judgment  alter  the  fate  of  one  indi- 
vidual ?  Has  any  been  sent  to  heaven  who  ought  to  be  in 
hell  ?  or  any  to  hell  who  ought  to  have  been  in  heaven  ?  If 
not,  would  such  a  day  of  judgment  be  any  thing  more  than 
a  mock  trial  at  best?  Why  judge  men  after  their  doom  is 
sealed?  Absurd  mortal!  Will  you  impute  folly  to  'the 
Judjje  of  all  the  earth,'  which  would  disgrace  the  most  cor- 
rupt court  on  earth  ?  "  Original  Essay  on  the  Coming  of 
the  Son  of  Man,  pp.  42,  43. 

The  above  contains  the  strength  and  plausibility  of  all 
the  objections  of  the  system  against  the  doctrine  now  under 
consideration  ;  and  derives  its  apparent  reasonableness  from 
a  misrepresentation  of  the  doctrine  it  opposes  ;  namely,  that 
the  "final  doom"  of  each  one  of  our  race  is,  officially, 
"  fixed  at  death."  Now,  the  reverse  in  the  case  is  true ; 
the  final  doom  of  no  one  is  fixed  at  death,  nor  will  it  be  till 
the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and  the  final  judgment  and 
retribution  at  the  last  day.  At  dea.h,  they  take  their  place 
in  the  world  of  spirits  according  to  their  moral  character, 
whether  it  be  in  the  paradise  of  God,  or  the  abodes  of  mis- 
ery ;  and,  although  the  day  of  judgment  will  neither  change 
their  moral  character,  or  condition,  yet,  till  then,  their  "  final 
doom  "  will  no  more  be  "fixed,"  than  would  be  the  "  final 
doom "  of  the  willful  murderer,  when  first  arrested  and 
committed  to  prison,  though  he  had  committed  the  most 
aggravated  murder  in  the  presence  of  every  member  of  the 
court,  and  of  his  guilt  there  could  not  be  the  least  possible 
doubt.  But  in  this  case,  if  there  is  no  doubt  of  his  guilt, 
and  a  subsequent  judgment  will  not  change  his  moral  char- 
acter or  condition,  will  not  any  such  judgment  be  a  mere 
"mock  trial,    at    the   best?"     Surelv   not;    from   the  fact 


226  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

that  the  conslitntion  under  which  he  lives,  has  made  pro- 
vision, that  before  the  "final  doom"  of  any  of  its  subjects 
"is  fixed,"  their  case  shall  be  officially  examined  and  deter- 
mined by  the  proper  officers  of  the  law  ;  and  this  sentence 
of  the  law,  and  this  alone,  fixes  their  "final  doom"  offi- 
cially, whatever  may  be  the  lapse  of  time  from  the  commis- 
sion of  the  crime,  and  commitment  to  prison,  till  the  judg- 
ment of  the  law.  And,  under  the  government  of  God,  the 
sinner,  from  the  time  of  his  death  to  the  judgment,  is  pro- 
perly a  criminal  in  the  custody  of  the  law,  awaiting  the 
day  of  future  judgment  and  retribution,  to  fix  his  "final 
doom,"  in  the  presence  of  an  assembled  universe,  and  in 
the  light  of  eternity,  for  the  vast,  the  changeless  future. 
And  for  this  feature  of  the  Divine  administration,  the  fol- 
lowing considerations  will  have  their  weight  with  the  candid. 

The  character  and  relations  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as 
judge  of  the  world,  require  that  the  act  of  final  judgment 
be  the  last  in  his  administration;  and  if  so,  it  must  be  future, 
and  at  the  end  of  time. 

Having  taken  upon  himself,  not  the  nature  of  angels,  but 
the  seed  of  Abraham,  that  he,  by  the  grace  of  God,  should 
taste  death  for  every  man,  and  thereby  redeem  us  with  his 
own  precious  blood  ;  and  having  efiected  this,  and  ascended 
on  high,  he  has  received  officially  all  power  in  heaven  and 
on  earth,  to  consummate  the  work  of  Redeemer,  Mediator, 
and  Judge.  Not  that  his  constitution,  or  nature,  was  the 
subject  of  any  change  in  the  reception  of  this  power;  for, 
in  union  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  the  immu- 
table Deity,  he,  from  all  eternity,  possessed  naturally  and 
literally,  all  power  in  heaven  and  earth,  or  Almighty  power. 

But,  as  in  the  infinite  economy  of  God,  for  the  benefit 
of  man,  all  power,  officially,  to  reign  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace  and  providence,  and  finally  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness,  belonged  to  the  character  of  the  Redeemer, 
the  Lord  Jesus  Chriet,  by  his  incarnation,  death,  and  resur- 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  227 

rection,  became  that  character;  and,  as  a  consequence, 
received  in  that  character  officially  all  power  to  reign,  and 
judge  the  world  according  to  the  purposes  and  government 
of  God.  And  as,  in  the  purpose  of  God,  Christ  was  a 
Lamb  slain  from  the  foundation  of  the  world ;  so,  also,  the 
world  has  had  the  offers,  and,  to  a  greater  or  less  extent, 
has  been  the  partaker  of  the  benefits  of  his  redemption  and 
mediation;  and,  as  the  benefits  of  his  mediation,  as  our 
only  advocate  with  the  Father,  are  the  only  medium  of  sal- 
vation, and  are  intended  for  man  in  this  life,  they  must  con- 
tinue to  the  latest  period  of  the  world ;  and,  if  so,  Christ 
must,  of  absolute  necessity,  continue  his  merciful  reign  in 
the  kingdom  of  grace  as  our  great  High  Priest  and  Inter- 
cessor before  the  throne  of  God,  till  the  end  of  time. 

This  is  the  exercise  of  but  a  part  of  that  official  power 
that  he,  as  Redeemer  of  mankind,  has  received  for  their 
present  and  future  benefit,  if  they  avail  themselves  of  it; 
but  as  the  exercise  of  this  power,  and  that  of  the  work  of 
final  judgment,  at  precisely  the  same  time,  are  not  only 
contrary  to  every  idea  of  law  and  government  that  the  mind 
can  conceive  of,  and  also  to  the  experience  and  observation 
of  mankind ;  but  is  absolutely  impossible,  and,  of  conse- 
quence, is  utterly  inconsistent  with  the  character  and  present 
relations  of  Christ  to  mankind,  as  their  only  mediator  and 
advocate  on  high.  But  as  the  power  to  judge  the  world  in 
righteousness  is  included  in  that  official  power  received  from 
the  Father,  its  exercise  is  suspended  now,  by  his  mediato- 
rial reign,  which  must  extend  to  the  end  of  time,  when  it 
will  for  ever  cease,  and  be  succeeded  by  the  exercise  of 
that  power  peculiar  to  the  final  judgment.  From  this  view 
it  is  seen,  that  so  far  is  a  future  day  of  judgment  from  being 
useless,  a  mere  "  mock  trial,"  it  is  the  solemn,  closing 
scene  of  the  most  perfect  government  and  administration  in 
the  universe ;  and  the  last  solemn  act  of  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ,  in  the  exercise  of  that  official  power  peculiar  to  his 


228  FUTURE    GENERAL    ,7UDOMEx\T.  [ciIAP.    X. 

character  as  Redeemer,  Mediator,  and  final  Judge,  before 
he  delivers  up  the  kingdom,  that  official  power,  to  the 
Father,  and  enters  peculiarly  upon  the  glory  he  had  with 
the  Father  before  the  world  was. 

But,  in  removing  this  objection,  there  is  another  consid- 
eration to  be  taken  into  the  account:  the  case  of  man  is  not 
matured  for  final  judgment  in  life  or  at  death,  nor  will  it  be 
till  the  close  of  time,  and  the  end  of  this  world.  The  doc- 
trine of  final  judgment  and  retribution,  whether  it  take 
place  in  this,  or  the  future  world,  is  inseparable  from  man's 
moral  accountability  to  his  Maker ;  for,  if  man  is  not  mor- 
ally accountable  to  God  for  his  moral  conduct,  the  act  of 
judging  him  in  any  way,  or  at  any  time,  would  be  usurpa- 
tion, injustice,  and  cruelty.  This  is  too  plain  either  to 
need,  or  admit  of  proof.  And  if,  upon  examination,  it  shall 
appear  that  this  moral  accountability  of  man  extends  to  all 
the  moral  good  and  evil  which  he  may  have  designed,  and 
which,  according  to  his  design,  were  accomplished  indi- 
rectly by  him,  as  well  as  directly,  the  fact  that  men's  works 
are  not  matured  for  final  judgment  till  the  close  of  time, 
will  appear  with  indisputable  clearness.  That  men  are 
capable  of  designing  and  effecting  moral  good  and  evil  indi- 
rectly as  well  as  directly,  is  the  indelible  conviction  of  the 
human  mind  ;  and  it  is  on  this  principle,  that  counsel  and 
advice  are  given  for  the  promotion  of  vice  or  virtue,  good 
or  evil;  and  on  the  same  principle,  human  laws  and  gov- 
ernment recognize  accessories  to  crime,  both  before  and 
after  the  offense  ;  and  in  many  cases  the  accessory  is  equally- 
guilty,  and  liable  to  punishment  with  the  principal  in  the 
crime.  When  he  lays  the  plans  or  approves  of  them, 
furnishes  facilities  for  and  advises  to  their  execution,  though 
he  should  not  be  present,  or  even  know  when  the  crime 
was  committed,  human  laws  hold  him  equally  guilty,  and 
punishable  with  the  immediate  perpetrator. 

And,   indeed,   every  department  of  human  society   fui- 


CHAP.  X.]     FUTLTRE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  229 

nishes  more  or  less  examples  and  illustrations  of  this  prin- 
ciple. To  instance  a  case :  Take  the  bold  and  virulent 
opposers,  and  the  pious  and  able  defenders  of  the  Bible  and 
Christianity.  It  was  the  design  of  the  former  to  destroy 
the  reputation  of  the  Bible,  as  the  record  of  the  will  of 
God,  and  to  extirpate  Christianity  from  the  earth.  For  this 
they  brought  all  their  powers  and  means  into  requisition, 
and,  directly,  by  their  example,  sophistry,  subtilty,  and 
influence,  poisoned  the  minds  and  unsettled  the  faith  of 
many ;  also,  indirectly,  by  the  publication  of  books  of  va- 
rious kinds,  together  M'ith  other  agencies  and  instrumentali- 
ties put  in  motion  by  them.  Thus,  while  they  lived,  they 
put  in  operation  schemes  that  are  still  doing  the  work  of 
moral  death,  and  that,  too,  with  the  design  that  they  should 
produce  the  very  effects  that  have  followed ;  consequently, 
they  are  accessories  before  the  crime,  and  if  the  government 
of  God  recognizes  this  principle,  and  holds  men  responsible 
in  any  degree  for  what  they  design  and  effect  indirectly,  their 
works  of  wickedness  are  not  yet  matured  for  the  final  judg- 
ment, and  never  will  be  till  the  close  of  the  present  constitu- 
tion of  this  world — the  end  of  time.  And,  on  the  other  hand, 
the  pious  defenders  of  the  Bible  and  Christianity,  with  a 
desire  and  design  to  glorify  God  in  the  defense  of  the  truth 
and  the  salvation  of  souls,  have  brought  into  requisition 
means  and  instrumentalities,  that,  according  to  their  origi- 
nal design,  have  been,  and  still  are  in  successful  operation ; 
and  those  holy  men,  though  long  since  called  from  earth, 
are  nevertheless  indirectly  reforming  the  world,  and  bring- 
ing many  wanderers  back  to  God ;  and  their  indirect  work 
of  usefulness  on  earth  will  not  be  completed,  and  they  fully 
prepared  for  judgment  and  its  rewards,  till  the  mediatorial 
reign  of  Jesus  Christ  shall  close,  and  the  universe  be  sum- 
moned to  his  bar  of  final  judgment. 

That  this  principle  is   sustained  by  the   word  of  God, 

the    following    testimony    will   show:    "And    he    ('David) 

20 


230  FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.     [CHAP.  X. 

wrote  in  the  letter,  saying,  Set  ye  Uriah  in  the  forefront  of 
the  hottest  battle,  and  retire  ye  from  him,  that  he  may  be 
smitten  and  die,"  2  Samuel  xi,  15.  This  order  was  strictly 
obeyed  by  Joab,  and  Uriah  was  thereby  "  smitten,"  and 
died.  And  the  Lord  sent  Nathan  the  prophet  to  David 
with  this  alarming  message,  "And  Nathan  said  unto  David, 
Thou  art  the  man.  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  * 
*  *  Thou  hast  killed  Uriah  the  Hitite  with  the  sword," 
2  Samuel  xii,  7-9.  It  is  here  seen,  that  notwithstanding 
David  in  person  never  lifted  a  sword  against  Uriah,  and 
was  far  from  the  scene  of  this  most  shameful  murder  of  an 
unoffending  and  faithful  subject,  God  charges  him  with  the 
murder  ;  and  on  no  other  principle  was  it  possible  that  this 
charge  could  be  made,  than  that  God  holds  men  morally  re- 
sponsible for  what  they  design  and  effect  indirectly,  as  well 
as  what  they  do  directly.  And  on  the  same  principle  it  is 
said,  "  By  faith  Abel  offered  unto  God  a  more  excellent  sac- 
rifice than  Cain,  by  which  he  obtained  witness  that  he  was 
righteous,  God  testifying  of  his  gift:  and  by  it  he  being 
dead  yet  speaketh,"  Heb.  xi,  4. 

If  then,  by  their  example,  and  by  the  agencies  and  in- 
strumentalities brought  into  requisition  and  put  into  opera- 
tion by  them,  men  speak,  or  indirectly  exert  an  influence 
either  for  good  or  evil,  long  after  they  are  dead,  even  as  long 
as  human  society  maintains  its  present  organization  and  ex- 
istence in  this  world,  it  must  be  entirely  clear,  that  their 
works  are  not  matured  for  the  final  judgment,  till  the  moral 
effects  shall  have  terminated,  and  this  cannot  be  till  the  close 
of  time;  and  the  final  judgment  previously  to  that  period, 
must  necessarily  be  immature  and  partial.  In  any  other 
view  of  the  subject,  both  the  character  and  administration 
of  God  are  involved  in  inexplicable  diflSculties  and  confu- 
sion. For  who  that  has  cast  an  eye  upon  the  operations 
of  human  society  in  this  world,  has  not  seen  the  most  wor- 
thy and  hard  earned  reputations  blasted  by  the  tongue  of 


CHAP.  X.]      FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  231 

slander,  the  best  motives  of  the  pious  impugned,  the  purest 
faith  charged  with  superstition,  enlightened  zeal  with  fanat- 
icism, dignified  devotion  to  God  with  consummate  hypoc- 
risy, and  the  most  useful,  harmless,  and  worthy  of  our  race 
covered  with  reproach  and  driven  out  of  the  world,  barely 
permitted  to  find  a  retreat  from  such  cruelty  through  the 
flames  of  martyrdom  !  While  the  oppressors  of  the  poor, 
while  the  licentious,  profligate  and  profane,  who  contemn 
the  word  and  authority  and  blaspheme  the  name  of  God, 
persecute  and  murder  his  children,  live  in  affluence  and 
ease,  are  spared  long,  and  pass  out  of  this  world  with  im- 
punity. And  while  we  behold  from  a  point  more  or  less 
of  these  scenes,  the  history  of  the  world  is  but  a  melan- 
choly record  of  the  fact  that  they  are  fair  specimens  of  the 
woes  inflicted  by  the  wicked  and  suffered  by  the  poor  and 
pious.  And  every  reflecting  mind  is  compelled  to  feel,  that 
if  the  future  does  not  recompense  the  wrongs  of  the  pres- 
ent and  the  past,  then  indeed  the  Bible  is  the  worst  of  de- 
ceptions, and  infidelity,  atheism  and  crime  are  for  ever 
licensed,  by  the  facts  in  the  case,  to  reject  both  the  Bible  and 
its  author,  as  alike  indiff*erent  to  grace,  mercy,  truth  and  holi- 
ness. But  the  doctrine  of  a  future  judgment  lifts  the  vail, 
and  sheds  light  on  the  most  obscure  features  of  the  Divine 
administration,  and  prompts  the  hope  and  inspires  the  faith 
and  patience  of  the  most  oppressed  of  the  children  of  God: 
that  though  persecuted,  and  even  cut  oflf  from  earth  before 
the  meridian  of  life — though  dead  they  may  yet  speak  for 
the  comfort  of  others  while  the  world  stands ;  and  that  the 
day  of  final  retribution  will  vindicate  their  character,  and 
reward  their  patient  piety.  By  this  doctrine  the  sinner, 
also,  is  admonished,  in  language  which  cannot  be  disre- 
garded with  impunity,  to  stop  and  prepare  for  the  solemni- 
ties of  its  final  decisions ;  and  if  he  does  not,  however  brief 
may  be  his  stay  on  earth,  he  is  kindling  a  fire  that  will  burn 
through  all  time,  and  finally  consign  him  to  the  "lowest 


232  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [CHAF.    X. 

hell."  And  while  this  doctrine  is  the  only  clear  vindication 
of  the  Divine  administration,  it  is  adapted  to  every  possible 
condition  of  man,  and  addresses  itself  to  the  whole  world, 
and  brings  the  highest  interests  of  eternity  to  bear  on  the 
purposes,  conduct,  and  motives  of  the  whole  human  family. 
A  sublime  and  solemn  arrangement,  fully  worthy  its  Di- 
vine author. 

Having  given  all  the  attention  to  this  objection  that  it 
merits,  and  having  shown  the  propriety  and  necessity  of  a 
future  judgment,  we  now  proceed  to  establish  some  princi- 
ples that  belong  essentially  to  the  investigation  of  this  sub- 
ject. And,  first,  wherever  and  whenever  the  final  judg- 
ment may  take  place,  and  whatever  its  effects  and  results  on 
man  may  be,  the  approbation  and  disapprobation  of  God, 
the  rewards  of  grace  and  the  punishment  for  sin,  must,  of 
absolute  necessity,  either  be  or  not  be,  the  subject  of  indi- 
vidual experience,  consciousness  and  knowledge.  Of  the 
truth  of  this  it  is  impossible  to  doubt;  and  every  candid 
man  in  the  world  will  require  Universalism  to  take  the 
negative  or  affirmative  of  this  question. 

Should  the  system  take  the  negative,  and  assert  that  the 
final  judgment  and  its  results  will  not  be  matters  of  personal 
experience  and  knowledge,  it  must  then  inevitably  follow : 

1 .  The  approbation  of  God  can  be  no  possible  inducement 
to  obedience,  nor  his  disapprobation  any  restraint  on  rebel- 
lion, as  they  are  not  matter  of  experience  or  knowledge. 

2.  The  consolations  of  moral  purity  in  the  final  judgment, 
cannot  be  an  object  of  desire  with  the  pious,  nor  the  con- 
sequences of  unholiness  be  matter  of  fear  with  the  profane, 
as  neither  can  be  experienced  or  known.  3.  All  the  re- 
wards of  grace,  the  happiness,  honor,  and  glory  of  heaven 
cannot  be  objects  of  hope,  but  is  a  perfect  blank,  a  solemn 
deception ;  and  the  punishment  for  sin,  the  degradation  and 
perdition  of  hell,  cannot  be  matter  of  dread.  From  which  it 
is  clear,  that  to  deny  the  personal  consciousness  and  knowl- 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  %^ 

edge  of  the  operations  and  final  results  of  the  general  judg- 
ment, is  not  only  to  "  extinguish  hell,"  and  remove  all  re- 
straint from  vice,  and  license  crime  in  the  world ;  but,  also, 
to  destroy  all  motive  to  piety,  annihilate  heaven,  and  charge 
the  Lord  with  performing  the  greatest  farce  that  heaven  or 
earth  ever  witnessed.  Universalism  must,  therefore,  ad- 
mit that  the  operations  and  final  decisions  of  the  last  judg- 
ment will  be  matter  of  absolute  personal  knowledge,  or 
meet  all  those  consequences  just  named. 

Second;  the  final  judgment  must  include  the  case  of  each 
member  of  the  entire  human  family.  To  deny  this  is 
totally  to  reject  Jesus  Christ  as  the  judge  of  all  men — as 
the  judge  of  the  world — and  to  charge  the  Bible  with  false- 
hood, and  the  Almighty  with  partiality  and  injustice  :  false- 
hood, in  declaring  that  "  all  must  appear  before  the  judg- 
ment-seat," "the  world  will  be  judged  in  righteousness," 
when  not  all,  not  the  world,  but  only  a  part  thereof  will  be 
judged  ;  partiality  and  injustice,  in  releasing  a  part  of  man- 
kind from,  and  holding  the  rest  responsible  to  the  investi- 
gations and  final  results  of  the  last  judgment.  Till  Uni- 
versalism is  prepared  openly  to  reject  Christ  as  the  judge 
of  "  all  men,"  "  of  the  world,"  charge  the  Bible  with  false- 
hood, and  the  Lord  with  partiality  and  injustice,  it  must 
allow  the  final  judgment  to  embrace  the  case  of  each  mem- 
ber of  the  whole  human  family. 

Third ;  if,  as  we  have  seen,  the  general  judgment,  in  its 
operations  and  final  results,  is  matter  of  individual  con- 
sciousness and  knowledge ;  and  if  it  includes  the  case  of 
each  member  of  the  whole  human  family,  the  conclusion  is 
as  resistless  as  our  own  experience  and  knowledge,  that  in 
its  operations  and  results,  when  and  wherever  it  takes 
place,  it  will  be  a  subject  of  personal,  and,  consequently, 
universal  experience,  consciousness,  and  knowledge ;  and 
the  whole  of  our  race  in  the  aggregate,  and  each  individ- 
ual in  particular,  will  know  it,  when  and  where  it  occurs, 
20^ 


234  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

with  precisely  the  same  clearness  that  thev  know  their  own 
experience  and  consciousness. 

And  unless  Universalism  abjures  all  reason  and  common 
sense,  and  affirms  that  men  may  experience  and  not  ex- 
perience, may  be  conscious  and  not  conscious,  may  know 
and  not  know,  precisely  at  the  same  time,  it  must  con- 
cede the  correctness  of  the  above  position. 

It  will  now  be  seen,  that  those  principles  are  most  clearly 
recognized  by  those  Scriptures  which  we  will  now  adduce, 
in  direct  proof  of  the  doctrine  of  a  future  judgment  and 
retribution.  It  will  also  be  seen,  that  the  facts  and  circum- 
stances which  the  word  of  God  everywhere  connects  with 
the  final  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  to  judge  the  world,  are  of 
such  a  character,  that  the  event  can  never  occur  without 
being  matter  of  universal  observation  and  interest  to  man, 
and,  consequently,  of  universal  knowledge. 

I.  The  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  final 
judgment,  will  be  literal,  visible,  and  personal,  in  the  glory 
of  the  Father,  attended  by  the  holy  angels.  "  When  the 
Son  of  man  shall  come  in  his  glory,  and  all  the  holy  angels 
with  him,  then  shall  he  set  upon  the  throne  of  his  glory," 
Matt.  XXV,  31.  "Whosoever,  therefore,  shall  be  ashamed 
of  me  and  of  my  words,  in  this  adulterous  and  sinful  gen- 
eration ;  of  him  also  shall  the  Son  of  man  be  ashamed, 
when  he  cometh  in  the  glory  of  his  Father  with  the  holy 
angels,"  Mark  viii,  38.  "And  to  you  who  are  troubled, 
rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  revealed  from 
heaven  with  his  mighty  angels,"  2  Thess.  i,  7.  "  And 
when  he  had  spoken  these  things,  while  they  beheld,  he 
was  taken  up ;  and  a  cloud  received  him  out  of  their  sight. 
And  while  they  looked  steadfastly  toward  heaven  as  he 
went  up,  behold,  two  men  stood  by  them  in  white  apparel ; 
which  also  said,  Ye  men  of  Galilee,  why  stand  ye  gazing 
up  into  heaven  ?     This  same  Jesus,  which  is  taken  up  from 


CHAP.  X.]     FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  235 

you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have 
seen  him  go  into  heaven,"  Acts  i,  9-11. 

The  personal,  visible,  and  literal  coming  of  Jesus  Christ, 
cannot  admit  of  clearer  proof  than  this  which  is  before  us  ; 
for  no  one  can  for  a  moment  doubt,  that  the  ascension  of 
Christ  into  heaven,  after  his  resurrection,  as  here  circum- 
stantially described,  was  personal,  visible,  and  literal.  And 
it  is  affirmed,  by  Divine  authority,  in  language  which  no 
comment  or  illustration  can  make  plainer,  that  "  this  same 
Jesus,"  not  another,  as  a  representative  or  substitute, 
"  which  is  taken  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so  come  in 
like  manner,"  personally  and  visibly,  and  ye  shall  see  him 
descend  from  heaven  literally  and  visibly,  "as  ye  have  seen 
him  go  into  heaven."  And  as  his  personal,  literal  coming, 
is  so  circumstantially  and  clearly  described,  it  would  be 
doing  the  utmost  violence  to  all  description  and  language, 
not  to  allow  that  the  attending  circumstances  of  the  glory 
of  the  Father  and  all  the  holy  angels,  are  also  literal  and 
visible. 

We  leave  it  for  another  place,  to  show  that  these  facts 
and  circumstances  belong  necessarily  to  a  future  general 
judgment;  and  proceed  to  show,  that  his  coming  to  judge 
the  world  will  be  announced, 

II.  By  the  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,  and  the  trump  of  God.  "  For  the  Lord  himself 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a  shout,  with  the  voice  of 
the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump  of  God :  and  the  dead 
in  Christ  shall  rise  first,"  1  Thess.  iv,  16.  "  In  a  moment, 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the  last  trump;  for  the  trum- 
pet shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall  be  raised  incorruptible, 
and  we  shall  be  changed,"  1  Cor.  xv,  52.  "And  he  shall 
send  his  angels,  with  a  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and  they 
shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from 
one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other,"  Matt,  xxiv,  31. 

As  these  Scriptures  have   such  distinct  reference  to  the 


236  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [cilAP.    X. 

resurrection  of  the  dead,  literally  and  visibly,  the  coming 
of  Jesus  Christ  in  judgment,  and  the  sound  of  the  trumpet, 
or  the  solemn  and  awful  announcement  to  the  world  of  the 
fact,  which  will  be  as  distinct  to  the  world  as  the  sound  of 
a  trumpet  to  an  individual,  must  be  of  the  same  character- 
must  be  visible  and  literal.     But, 

III.  At  his  coming  to  sit  in  final  judgment  upon  the  world, 
the  dead,  both  the  righteous  and  the  unrighteous,  the  just 
and  the  unjust,  shall  be  raised,  and  the  living  will  be  chang- 
ed, and  appear  at  the  throne  of  judgment.  "  But  I  would 
not  have  you  to  be  ignorant,  brethren,  concerning  them 
which  are  asleep,  that  ye  sorrow  not,  even  as  others  which 
have  no  hope.  For  if  we  believe  that  Jesus  died  and  rose 
again,  even  so  them  also  which  sleep  in  Jesus  will  God 
bring  with  him.  For  this  we  say  unto  you  by  the  word  of 
the  Lord,  that  we  which  are  alive  and  remain  unto  the  com- 
ing of  the  Lord,  shall  not  prevent  them  which  are  asleep* 
For  the  Lord  himself  shall  descend  from  heaven  with  a 
shout,  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel,  and  with  the  trump 
of  God:  and  the  dead  in  Christ  shall  rise  first:  then  we 
which  are  alive  and  remain  shall  be  caught  up  together  with 
them  in  the  clouds,  to  meet  the  Lord  in  the  air:  and  so 
shall  we  ever  be  with  the  Lord.  Wherefore,  comfort  one 
another  with  these  words,"  1  Thess.  iv,  13-18.  "  Behold, 
I  show  you  a  mystery;  we  shall  not  all  sleep,  but  we  shall 
be  changed,  in  a  moment,  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  at  the 
last  trump :  for  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead  shall 
be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed,"  1  Cor. 
XV,  51,  52.  "  So  worship  I  the  God  of  my  fathers,  believ- 
ing all  things  which  are  written  in  the  law  and  in  the  pro- 
phets :  and  have  hope  toward  God,  which  they  themselves 
also  allow,  that  there  shall  be  a  resurrection  of  the  dead, 
both  of  the  just  and  unjust,"  Acts  xxiv,  14,  15.  "And  at 
that  time  thy  people  shall  be  delivered,  every  one  that  shall 
be  found  written  in  the  book.     And  many   of  them   that 


CHAP.    X.3  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  237 

sleep  in  the  dust  of  llie  eartli  shall  awake,  some  to  everlast- 
ing life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  contempt," 
Daniel  xii,  1,2.  "  Marvel  not  at  this  :  for  the  hour  is  com- 
ing, in  the  which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his 
voice,  and  shall  come  forth ;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto 
the  resurrection  of  life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto 
the  resurrection  of  damnation,"  John  v,  28,  29.  "And  I 
saw  the  dead,  (in  inspired  vision,  and  will  see  them  liter- 
ally and  in  fact,)  small  and  great,  stand  before  God;  and 
the  books  were  opened :  and  another  book  was  opened, 
which  is  the  book  of  life:  and  the  dead  were  judged  out 
of  the  things  which  were  written  in  the  books,  according 
to  their  works.  And  the  sea  gave  up  the  dead  which  were 
in  it ;  and  death  and  hell  (the  grave)  delivered  up  the  dead 
which  were  in  them :  and  they  were  judged  every  man  ac- 
cording to  their  works,"  Rev.  xx,  12,  13. 

We  are  aware  that  Universalism  generally  objects  to  tes- 
timony being  brought  against  it  from  the  book  of  Revela- 
tiou,  as  it  is  said  to  be  so  figurative  in  its  descriptions  and 
language,  that  it  is  unsafe  to  depend  on  it  in  support  of  im- 
portant doctrines.  Nevertheless,  when  it  suits  the  conve- 
nience of  the  system  to  quote  it  in  proof  of  the  most  im- 
portant positions,  those  objections  are  all  forgotten  or  waived 
without  difficulty.  However,  without  admitting  the  sound- 
ness of  the  objection,  we  have  not  adduced  it  as  the  first,  or 
main  proof,  but  only  as  corroborative  evidence ;  and,  fur- 
ther, that  those  Scriptures  refer  to  literal  facts  and  occur- 
rences, has  already  been  shown.  And  when  the  Bible  is 
permitted  to  bear  its  own  testimony  on  this  point,  no  posi- 
tion or  doctrine  in  the  Sacred  Scriptures  is  more  clearly 
taught  and  fully  supported  than  this,  that  the  general  resur- 
rection of  the  dead,  and  the  changing  of  those  who  may  be 
alive  upon  the  earth  at  the  time,  is  not  only  inseparably 
connected  with,  but  absolutely  dependent  upon  the  second 
final,  visible  personal  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  the  last 


238  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [CHAP.    X. 

judgment.  To  hesitate  on  the  point,  is  to  doubt  the  gen- 
eral resurrection ;  to  deny  it,  is  totally  to  extinguish  the 
hope  of  the  general  resurrection,  and  establish  the  endless 
reign  of  death. 

IV.  When  Christ  shall  come  in  final  judgment,  the  whole 
of  our  race,  both  good  and  bad,  with  the  holy  and  fallen 
angels,  shall  personally  appear  at  his  judgment  bar.  "And 
before  him  shall  be  gathered  all  nations ;  and  he  shall  sep- 
arate them  one  from  another,  as  a  shepherd  divideth  his 
sheep  from  the  goats,"  Matt,  xxv,  32.  "  But  why  dost 
thou  judge  thy  brother?  or  why  dost  thou  set  at  nought  thy 
brother?  for  we  shall  all  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ,"  Romans  xiv,  10.  "Because  he  hath  appointed  a 
day,  in  the  which  he  will  judge  the  world  in  righteousness, 
by  that  man  whom  he  hath  ordained ;  whereof  he  hath 
given  assurance  unto  all  men,  in  that  he  hath  raised  him 
from  the  dead,"  Acts  xvii,  31.  "For  if  God  spared  not 
the  angels  that  sinned,  but  cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  de- 
livered them  into  chains  of  darkness,  to  be  reserved  unto 
judgment,"  2  Peter  ii,  4.  "  And  the  angels  which  kept 
not  their  first  estate,  but  left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath 
reserved  in  everlasting  chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judg- 
ment of  the  great  day,"  Jude  6.  Here,  also,  in  the  plain 
language  of  the  word  of  God,  it  is  seen  that  "all  na- 
tions"—"  the  world" — "all  shall  stand  before  Christ  in 
judgment" — "the  angels  that  sinned" — "which  kept  not 
their  first  estate" — are  all  connected  with  "the  judgment 
of  the  great  day,"  when  the  world  shall  be  finally  judged 
by  the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist;  and  unless  Universalism  openly 
avows  its  utter  disbelief  of  the  plainest  language  used  by 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  inspiring  the  Scriptures,  it  must  admit 
that  those  solemn  events  in  the  Divine  administration,  are 
inseparably  connected,  and  that  all  God's  intelligent  crea- 
tures will  be  present  in  the  final  judgment,  let  that  judg- 
ment take  place  when  and  where  it  may.     Again, 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  239 

V.  At  tlie  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  gen- 
eral judgment,  the  heavens — the  atmosphere  and  visible 
heavens — shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  (doubtless 
with  the  sound  of  the  trump  of  God,  which  shall  awake 
the  dead,)  and  the  visible  earth  shall  be  burned  up.  "  And 
I  saw  a  great  white  throne,  and  him  that  sat  on  it,  from 
whose  face  the  earth  and  the  heaven  fled  away  ;  and  there 
was  found  no  place  for  them,"  Rev.  xx,  11.  "But  the 
heavens  and  the  earth,  which  are  now,  by  the  same  word 
are  kept  in  store,  reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judg- 
ment and  perdition  of  ungodly  men.  *  *  *  But  the 
day  of  the  Lord  will  come  as  a  thief  in  the  night ,  in  the 
which  the  heavens  shall  pass  away  with  a  great  noise,  and 
the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat,  the  earth  also  and 
the  works  that  are  therein  shall  be  burned  up.  Seeing  then 
that  all  these  things  shall  be  dissolved,  what  manner  of  per- 
sons ought  ye  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godliness. 
Looking  for  and  hasting  unto  the  coming  of  the  day  of  God, 
wherein  the  heavens  being  on  fire  shall  be  dissolved,  and 
the  elements  shall  melt  with  fervent  heat?  Wherefore,  be- 
loved, seeing  that  ye  look  for  such  things,  be  diligent  that 
ye  may  be  found  of  him  in  peace,  without  spot,  and  blame- 
less," 2  Peter  iii,  7,  10-12,  14. 

Universalism,  aware  of  the  formidableness  of  this  doc- 
trine of  the  dissolution  of  the  visible  heavens  and  earth,  in 
connection  with,  and  as  characteristic  of  the  final  judgment 
and  perdition  of  ungodly  men  and  unholy  angels,  has  made 
every  eff'ort  possible  to  diminish  or  evade  its  deadly  force 
against  the  system ;  but  there  are  some  facts  and  circum- 
stances which  must  settle  this  matter,  so  long  as  the  word 
of  God  is  allowed  to  be  competent  and  credible  testimony 
in  the  case.  First,  then,  the  scenes  here  described  must  be 
understood  either  literally  or  figuratively ;  and  as  it  would 
be  yielding  the  whole  question  at  once  to  admit  the  former, 
Universalism  has  no  alternative  but  to  contend  for  the  lat- 


240  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

ter.  And  even  with  this  view  of  the  subject,  there  are  only 
two  circumstances  in  the  past  to  which,  with  the  least 
show  of  reason,  it  can  possibly  apply ;  that  is,  either  to  the 
coming  of  Christ  in  his  spiritual  kingdom,  to  establish  the 
reign  of  liis  grace  and  Spirit,  or  the  operations  of  his  prov- 
idence in  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dispersion 
of  the  Jews  among  the  nations  of  the  earth.  As  though  it 
were  conscious  of  the  unpardonable  inconsistency  of  ap- 
plying this  language  to  the  coming  of  Christ  by  the  Spirit, 
and  the  reign  of  his  grace,  the  system  generally  locates  the 
whole  scene  in  the  calamities  of  the  Jews,  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  city  and  temple  ;  but  the  facts  in  the  case  ut- 
terly refute  the  application ;  for  the  coming  of  Christ  in 
the  scene  now  before  us,  is  emphatically  called  "  the  day 
of  the  Lord,"  "  the  day  of  God,"  designating  a  special  pe- 
riod, a  particular  point;  and  that  the  coming  of  the  Lord, 
the  passing  away  of  the  heavens  and  the  burning  of  the 
earth,  that  shall  take  place  at  that  particular  period,  shall 
be  sudden,  wholly  unexpected,  even  "  as  a  thief  in  the 
night;"  whereas,  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  reign  of 
his  grace,  was  long  the  subject  of  prophecy  and  promise, 
long  looked  for,  anxiously  expected,  and  ardently  desired 
by  the  pious.  And  his  coming  in  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  the  Jewish  polity  and  nation,  was  foretold  by 
himself,  reiterated  by  his  apostles,  indicated  by  various 
phenomena  and  signs  in  the  heavens,  by  the  tumults 
among  themselves,  the  hostile  altitude  of  their  enemies, 
the  invasion  of  their  country,  the  overthrow  and  subjuga- 
tion of  many  of  their  towns,  cities,  and  much  of  their  terri- 
tory, and  by  the  threatening  aspect  of  every  circumstance 
with  which  they  were  surrounded,  all  pointing  to,  and  ad- 
monishing them  of  their  final  overthrow  and  total  ruin. 
And  so  far  was  this  display  of  God's  displeasure  against 
that  rebellious  people  and  that  devoted  city,  from  being  sud- 
den and  unexpected  as  the  tliief  in  the  night,  that  heaven 


CHAP.  X.]     FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  241 

and  earth  appeared  to  combine  to  apprise  and  warn  them  of 
their  condition,  and  prepare  them  for  the  result;  and  when 
they  were  finally  overtaken  by  the  calamity,  so  far  was  it 
from  doing  its  work  speedily,  as  the  thief  in  the  night,  that 
it  protracted  its  works  for  years,  till  by  famine,  war,  and 
death  in  a  thousand  forms,  it  wasted  their  energies,  wore 
out  their  strength,  consumed  their  means,  and  consigned 
them  to  their  merited  destiny. 

There  is,  therefore,  no  alternative  between  contradicting 
the  clearest  matters  of  fact,  and  the  plainest  language  of  the 
word  of  God,  and  unequivocally  rejecting  the  dogma  of 
Universalism,  in  applying  this  sublime  description  of  the 
final  judgment  to  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem.     But, 

Secondly ;  the  apostle  places  this  question  beyond  all 
reasonable  doubt,  by  fully  anticipating  the  error  against 
which  we  are  contending.  He  says,  "  Know  this  firstj 
that  there  shall  come  in  the  last  days  scoffers,  walking  after 
their  own  lusts,  and  saying,  Where  is  the  promise  of  his 
coming?  for  since  the  fathers  fell  asleep,  all  things  continue 
as  they  were  from  the  beginning  of  the  creation.  For  this 
they  willingly  are  ignorant  of,  that  by  the  word  of  God  the 
heavens  were  of  old,  and  the  earth  standing  out  of  the  water 
and  in  the  water :  whereby  the  world  that  then  was,  being 
overflowed  with  water,  perished:  but  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,  which  are  now,  by  the  same  word  are  kept  in  store, 
reserved  unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition 
of  ungodly  men,"  2  Peter  iii,  3-7. 

1.  From  the  above  it  is  perfectly  clear,  that  the  doctrine 
of  the  conflagration  of  the  visible  and  material  heavens  and 
earth,  in  connection  with,  and  as  a  circumstance  attending 
the  second  coming  of  Jesus  Christ  in  the  final  judgment, 
would,  with  skepticism  and  infidelity,  be  a  subject  of  scof- 
fing and  ridicule  ;  contemptuously  inquiring.  Where  are  the 
promises  of  his  coming  ?  What  has  become  of  those  prom- 
ises ?     They  remain  unfulfilled;  thev  have  proved  an  utter 

21 


242  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

failure ;  and  those  who  look  for  any  such  coming  of  the 
Lord,  and  revolution  in  the  material  world,  are  objects  of 
contempt,  and  the  doctrine  the  subject  of  merriment  and 
scoffing.  And  who  that  is  acquainted  with  Universalism, 
does  not  see  this  prediction  fulfilled  to  the  letter  ?  Its  op- 
position to  the  doctrine  is  studied,  malevolent,  relentless. 
The  consistency  and  harmony  of  the  word  of  God,  and 
even  the  reputation  and  honesty  of  the  inspired  writers,  are 
all  sacrificed  to  oppose  this  doctrine,  and  those  who  believe 
and  teach  it. 

2.  But  Peter  knew  perfectly,  that  the  pious,  the  Church, 
looked  for  "all  these  things  to  be  dissolved"  by  fire,  and 
that  this  would  be  an  objection  to  the  Bible,  religion,  and 
the  Church — a  matter  of  scorn  and  scofiing  with  infidelity ; 
and  if  it  was  the  revolting  error  that  Universalism  affirms 
it  to  be,  the  apostle  was  bound  in  all  moral  honesty  to  cor- 
rect it  at  once.  But  does  he  do  it?  Surely  not;  but  on 
the  contrary,  takes  the  most  direct  course  to  strengthen  and 
confirm  the  Church  therein.  First;  by  charging  the  scof- 
fers (and  the  charge  lies  with  all  the  force  of  inspired  author- 
ity against  Universalism)  with  being  "  willingly  ignorant" 
of  God,  his  works,  and  administration  ;  and  by  encouraging 
the  faith  and  hope  of  the  Church  in  the  promises  of  God, 
in  opposition  to  the  scoffings  of  infidelity,  whether  in  the 
mask  of  Universalism,  or  any  other  form,  by  urging  them 
*'  not  to  be  ignorant  of  this  one  thing,  that  one  day  is  with 
the  Lord  as  a  thousand  years,  and  a  thousand  years  as  one 
day,"  2  Peter  iii,  8.  And  thougli  the  Divine  word,  in  its 
final  accomplishment,  may  be  delayed  for  thousands  of 
years,  "The  Lord  is  not  slack  concerning  his  promises,  as 
some  men  (those  scoffers,  or  Universalism)  count  slackness ; 
but  is  long-sufll'ering,  not  willing  that  any  should  perish,  but 
that  all  should  come  to  repentance,"  2  Peter  iii,  9.  The 
delay  of  his  coming,  so  far  from  indicating  a  failure  of 
his   promise,    is    in    perfect  harmonv  with    his  whole  nd- 


CHAP.  X.]      FUTURE  GENERAL  .11  UUMENT.  243 

ministration,  and  is  a  demonstration  of  his  mercy,  and  tliat 
he  now  reigns  in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  not  in  the  work 
of  final  judgment. 

Secondly;  he  illustrates  the  final  conflagration  of  this 
world  at  the  coming  of  the  Lord  in  judgment,  by  its  de- 
struction by  the  deluge.  He  says,  '*  By  the  word  of  God 
the  heavens  were  of  old,  and  the  earth  standing  out  of  the 
water  and  in  the  water :  whereby  the  world  that  then  was, 
being  overflowed  with  water,  perished."  That  the  apostle 
here  alludes  to  the  material  and  visible  heavens  and  earth, 
is  too  plain  to  allow  of  proof;  and  that  the  literal  overflow- 
ing of  this  world  by  water  at  the  deluge,  and  the  dissolu- 
tion and  perishing  thereby,  so  far  as  that  element  could 
effect  its  destruction,  are  here  referred  to  and  stated,  is  also 
useless  to  prove,  and  absolute  folly  to  deny.  No  language, 
in  all  the  Divine  record,  is  plainer.  And  now  mark  the  ap- 
plication :  "  But  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  which  are  now,'* 
the  visible  and  material  world,  the  same  that  has  been  the 
subject  of  remark  throughout  this  discourse,  shall  not  per- 
ish again  by  water,  but  "  by  the  same  word "  by  which 
they  were  created  and  sustained,  "  are  kept  in  store,  reserv- 
ed unto  fire  against  the  day  of  judgment  and  perdition  of 
ungodly  men."  How  is  it  possible  for  language  to  be 
plainer  on  any  subject,  than  this  is  on  the  final  conflagration 
of  this  world  ? 

We  are,  therefore,  brought  irresistibly  to  this  conclusion, 
that  Peter  either  did,  or  he  did  not,  intend  to  teach  this  doc- 
trine, and  illustrate  it  by  the  destruction  of  the  old  world 
by  water.  If  he  did,  then  the  controversy  is  ended,  the 
point  is  conceded,  and  it  stands  enrolled  by  Divine  author- 
ity among  the  awfully  sublime  scenes  that  will  attend  the 
final  judgment  and  retribution  at  the  last  day.  But  if  he 
did  not,  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  defend  his  character  from 
the  charge  of  ignorance  or  dishonesty ;  for,  knowing  that 
this  doctrine  was  believed  bv  the  Church,  and  that  it  would 


244  FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.      [cHAP.  X. 

be  scoffed  at  by  infidelity  if  it  was  an  error,  he  either  did 
attempt  to  correct  it,  or  he  did  not.  If  he  did,  the  attempt 
was  a  perfect  faihire,  as  the  belief  of  the  Church  on  this 
point  in  all  ages  fully  demonstrates ;  and  the  very  language 
employed,  and  illustrations  used  by  him,  so  far  from  cor- 
recting this  doctrine,  this  reputed  eiror,  have  been  appealed 
to,  and  relied  on  by  the  Church  in  all  her  history,  in  sup- 
port of  it.  And  there  is  no  alternative  but  to  suppose  the 
apostle  was  ignorant  of  the  means  by,  and  the  manner  in 
which  to  oppose  and  correct  this  deadly  error,  that  the 
Church  might  be  sound  in  the  faith,  and  a  great  cause  of 
stumbling  be  taken  out  of  the  way  of  unbelief;  when,  nev- 
ertheless, one  minute  would  have  set  the  Church  and  the 
world  right  on  this  momentous  subject,  if  he  had  said, 
"  Brethren,  all  these  things  refer  to  the  destruction  of  Jeru- 
salem, are  to  be  understood  figuratively,  and  have  no  possi- 
ble reference  to  the  literal  conflagration  of  this  material, 
visible  world." 

But  if,  to  avoid  this  open  attack  on  the  divinely  inspired 
apostle,  it  be  said,  that  though  he  knew  the  facts  aifecting 
the  Church  and  infidelity  with  regard  to  this  error,  he  did 
not  attempt  to  correct  it,  the  charge  of  dishonesty  is  inevita- 
ble ;  for,  how  can  a  minister  of  Jesus  Christ  see  his  breth- 
ren, see  the  Church,  in  fatal  error,  and  that  error  provoking 
the  scorn  and  scoffs  of  infidelity,  and  confirming  its  hostil- 
ity and  opposition  to  God,  the  Bible,  the  Church,  and  re- 
ligion, and  be  honest  to  his  calling,  his  brethren,  the  Church, 
the  world,  and  his  God,  and  not  labor  to  correct  such  errors, 
and  lead  the  Church  of  Christ  into  truth  and  righteousness  ? 
It  is  utterly  impossible  for  him  to  be  honest  under  such  cir- 
cumstances, in  the  neglect  of  such  important  duties.  Uni- 
versalism  is  therefore  compelled  either  to  make  this  charge 
against  the  holy  apostle,  or  allow  that  he  taught  the  solemn 
truth    of  the   final   conflagration   of  this   visible,  materia! 


OHAl'.  X.]      FUTURE  GKNKRAL  JUDGMKNT.  tH 

world,  as  a  circumsta)ice   attending  the  second  coming  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Clirist  in  the  tinal  judgment. 

VI.  At  the  coming  of  Christ  in  the  last  judgment,  all 
mankind  shall  be  judged  in  righteousness,  according  to  the 
evidence  of  their  works.  "For  God  shall  bring  every 
work  into  judgment,  with  every  secret  thing,  whether  it  be 
good,  or  whether  it  be  evil,"  Eccles.  xii,  14.  "  But  I  say 
unto  you,  that  every  idle  word  that  men  shall  speak,  they 
shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment:  for  by 
thy  words  thou  shalt  be  justified,  and  by  thy  words  thou 
shalt  be  condemned,"  Matt,  xii,  36,  37.  "For  we  must 
all  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ;  that  every 
one  may  receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  according  to 
that  he  hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad,"  2  Cor.  v,  10. 

We  might  multiply  proofs  on  this  point,  but  the  above 
are  sufficient  fully  to  sustain  the  fact,  that  in  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, when  all  must  appear  before  Christ,  when  and  where- 
soever it  may  occur,  every  thought,  word,  and  action  of 
man,  both  public  and  private,  will  be  matter  of  investigation, 
and  will  be  developed  in  the  judgment,  as  evidence  in  fix- 
ing his  destiny  for  eternity.  This  is  too  plain  to  be  denied, 
without  a  total  rejection  of  the  record  of  God  in  the  case. 

VII.  Finally,  in  the  last  judgment,  at  the  coming  of  the 
Lord,  the  righteous  will  be  rewarded  with  eternal  life  in 
heaven,  and  the  wicked  will  be  eternally  punished.  "Then 
shall  the  King  (the  Lord  Jesus  Christ)  say  unto  them  on  his 
right  hand.  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world. 
*  *  *  Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them  on  his  left  hand, 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared 
for  the  devil  and  his  angels.  *  *  *  And  these  shall  go 
away  into  everlasting  punishment;  but  the  righteous  into 
life  eternal,"  Matt,  xxv,  34,41,  46.  "And  to  you  who 
are  troubled,  rest  with  us,  when  the  Lord  Jesus  shall  be  re- 
vealed from  heaven  with  his  miffhtv  angels,  in  flaming  fire 

21* 


246  FUTURE    GENERAL   JUDGMENT.  [CHAP.    X. 

taking  vengeance  on  them  that  know  not  God,  and  that 
obey  not  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ:  who  shall 
be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence 
of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power;  when  he 
shall  come  to  be  glorilied  in  his  saints,  and  to  be  admired 
in  all  them  that  believe  (because  our  testimony  among  you 
was  believed)  in  that  day,"  2  Thess.  i,  7-10.  "  And  they 
were  judged  every  man  according  to  their  works.  And  death 
and  hell  were  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire.  This  is  the  second 
death.  And  whosoever  was  not  found  written  in  the  book 
of  life  was  cast  into  the  lake  of  fire,"  Rev.  xx,  13-15. 
*'  But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable,  and 
murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and  idolaters, 
and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the  lake  which  bumeth 
with  fire  and  .brimstone :  which  is  the  second  death,"  Rev. 
xxi,  8.  "  Even  as  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities 
about  them  in  like  manner,  giving  themselves  over  to  forni- 
cation, and  going  after  strange  flesh,  are  set  forth  for  an  ex- 
ample, suflfering  the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire,"  Jude  7. 

Universalism  itself  is  forced  to  admit  that  the  state  of  the 
righteous,  and  the  wicked,  as  described  in  those  Divine  de- 
clarations, and  numerous  others  that  might  be  adduced  on 
the  point,  is  the  result  of  that  judgment  of  mankind  by  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures,  when- 
ever and  wherever  it  may  take  place ;  and  now,  the  main 
point  at  issue,  and  the  only  one  to  be  settled,  in  order  to 
vindicate  "the  ways  of  God  with  man,"  maintain  the  truth 
and  dignity  of  his  word,  and  fix  the  destiny  of  Universal- 
ism, is  that  the  final  judgment,  the  second  coming  of  the 
Lord,  the  rewards  of  the  righteous,  and  the  punishment  of 
the  wicked,  as  brought  to  view  in  the  above  descriptions, 
are  neither  past,  nor  now  in  progress,  but  yet  future. 

And  that  this  subject,  involving  the  liighest  interests  of 
our  whole  race,  in  time  and  eternity,  may  be  seen  with  the 
greatest  clearness,  and  felt  in  its  utmost  force,  we  will  pre- 


CHAP.  X.  1      FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  247 

sent  its  main  features  in  a  condensed  form,  and  then  apply 
those  principles  already  established,  to  settle  this  solemn, 
sublime,  and  momentous  question. 

The  coming  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  the  final  g^en- 
eral  judgment,  as  clearly  established  by  the  abundant  proofs 
from  the  word  of  God  as  already  adduced,  is  emphatically 
characterized  by  the  following  facts  and  circumstances.  He 
♦*  shall  so  come  in  like  manner  as  ye  have  seen  him  go  into 
heaven,"  which  was  personal,  literal,  and  visible.  "  In  the 
glory  of  the  Father  with  all  the  holy  angels  with  him" — 
'*  with  the  voice  of  the  archangel  and  the  trump  of  God  ;" 
and  at  his  coming,  all  the  dead  shall  be  raised  ,  "  both  the 
just  and  unjust" — "some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to 
shame,  and  everlasting  contempt;"  they  shall  come  forth, 
"they  that  have  done  good  unto  the  resurrection  of  life; 
and  they  that  have  done  evil  unto  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
nation ;"  the  dead,  "  small  and  great,  shall  stand  before 
God" — "every  one" — "the  angels  that  sinned" — "all 
nations" — "the  whole  world" — "must  stand  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ."  "  The  heavens  shall  pass  away 
with  a  great  noise" — "the  elements  melt  with  fervent 
heat" — "  the  earth,"  literally,  "  and  the  works  therein  shall 
be  burned  up;"  "every  work" — "every  secret  thing, 
whether  it  be  good  or  evil" — "  every  idle  word,"  with  all 
man's  works  of  every  kind — "  they  shall  give  account 
thereof  in  the  day  of  judgment."  And  finally,  the  world 
of  mankind  shall  be  separated  as  is  the  flock  by  the  shep- 
herd;  and  Christ  the  judge  "shall  say  unto  the  righteous, 
Come,  ye  blessed,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world,"  and  they  shall  enter 
"  into  life  eternal,"  "and  so  shall  ever  be  with  the  Lord." 
But  the  Lord  the  righteous  judge  shall  say  to  the  wicked, 
"  Depart  ye  cursed  into  everlasting  fire,"  for  the  judge  will 
come  "in  flaming  fire,"  "taking  vengeance  on  them  thai 
know   not  God  and  that  obey  not  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord 


248  FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.      [cHAP.  X. 

Jesus  Christ:  who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  de- 
struction from  his  presence  and  the  glory  of  his  power;" 
and  "  they  shall  go  into  everlasting  punishment,"  "  into  the 
lake  of  fire,"  "the  second  death,"  "suffering  the  ven- 
geance of  eternal  fire."  That  those  grand  demonstrations 
of  the  majesty  and  glory  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  are  to  be  ex- 
hibited within  the  range  of  the  Divine  administration  toward 
man,  either  during  time  and  the  present  constitution  of  this 
world,  or  at  the  close  thereof,  cannot  admit  of  a  single 
doubt,  unless  the  Holy  Scriptures  prove  a  perfect  failure, 
and  wholly  mislead  and  deceive  the  Church  and  the  world 
on  this,  which  is  a  subject  of  the  greatest  possible  interest 
to  mankind.  And  should  Universalism,  to  avoid  the  fear- 
ful consequences  of  a  coming  judgment,  choose  to  im- 
peach the  veracity  and  divinity  of  the  Scriptures,  its  true 
character  will  then  be  known,  and  all  may  know  where 
and  how  to  meet  it — not  in  the  character  of  a  Christian 
system,  but  that  of  open  mfidelity. 

And  if  those  sublime  scenes  belong  to  the  Divine  admin- 
istration, they,  as  already  shown,  are  either,  1.  Past,  and 
wholly  accomplished;  or,  2.  They  have  commenced,  and 
are  now  in  progress,  and  will  continue  through  all  time ; 
or,  3.  They  are  yet  future,  and  will  transpire  at  the  close 
of  time,  when  the  destiny  of  all  our  race  will  be  fixed  for 
eternity. 

And  to  ascertain  the  fact  in  this  case,  with  a  clearness 
bearing  some  proportion  to  the  great  interests  involved,  we 
call  up  those  principles  already  established,  and  which  bear 
with  the  force  of  demonstration  on  the  subject  at  this  point; 
and  they  are  of  sufficient  importance,  in  settling  this  ques- 
tion, to  be  introduced  as  rules — self-evident  matters  of  fact. 

Rule  1.  "  The  operations  and  result  of  the  final  general 
judgment,  including  the  approbation  and  disapprobation  of 
God,  the  rewards  of  grace,  and  the  punishment  for  sin, 
must  of  absolute  necessity  be  tlie  subject  of  individual  ex- 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GK.NERAL    JUDGMENT.  249 

perience,  consciousness  and  knowledge,  to  all  wlio  are  the 
objects  thereof." 

Rule  2.  "  The  operations  and  final  results  of  the  gen- 
eral judgment  must  necessarily  include  the  case  of  each 
individual  of  the  whole  human  family." 

Rule  3.  "Therefore  the  conclusion  is  resistless,  that  the 
operations,  progress,  and  final  results  of  the  general  judg- 
ment, whenever  and  wherever  it  takes  place,  must  of  abso- 
lute necessity  be  matter  of  knowledge  to  the  whole  world 
of  mankind  in  the  aggregate ;  and,  consequently,  each  indi- 
vidual of  our  whole  race,  without  a  solitary  exception,  must 
know  it  with  precisely  the  same  distinctness  that  they  are 
the  subjects  of  their  own  personal  experience,  conscious- 
ness, and  knowledge." 

The  soundness  and  truth  of  those  principles  have  already 
been  established  in  another  place,  and  to  which  reference 
may  be  had,  to  see  the  perfectly  revolting  consequences 
which  must  follow  a  denial  of  them. 

And  now,  in  the  light  of  those  incontrovertible  facts  and 
principles,  in  the  light  of  the  cloud  of  witnesses  adduced 
from  the  Holy  Scriptures,  we  appeal  to  the  sober  judgment 
of  mankind,  and  ask,  in  the  name  of  common  sense  and 
candor,  in  the  name  of  sober  reason,  in  the  name  of  moral 
honesty,  in  the  name  of  God;  and  we  urge  the  inquiry  by 
the  incalculable  worth  of  the  immortal  soul,  by  the  defer- 
ence due  to  the  authority  of  the  word  of  God,  by  the  solem- 
nities of  the  final  judgment,  by  the  hope  of  heaven,  and 
the  dread  of  hell,  by  all  the  obedience  and  reverence  we 
owe  to  God,  we  ask,  if  the  whole  human  family  at  any  pe- 
riod in  the  past  liave  seen,  or  if  the  whole  human  race  now 
see,  with  all  the  distinctness  of  individual  consciousness 
and  knowledge,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  coming  with  infinite 
grandeur  and  glory,  with  the  company  of  all  the  holy  an- 
gels of  heaven  ;  have  heard,  or  now  hear  the  voice  of  the 
archangel,    witli   the  awful   trump  of  God;  have  seen,   or 


250  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

now  see  the  dead,  small  and  great,  raised  or  rising;  the  liv- 
ing changed,  or  changing;  have  seen,  or  now  see  the  separ- 
ation of  the  righteous  and  the  wicked  ;  the  latter  suffering 
the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire,  the  former  enjoying  an  eter- 
nal weight  of  glory,  in  the  kingdom  prepared  for  them  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  world  ?  He  who  would  answer 
these  solemn  inquiries  in  the  affirmative,  must  contradict, 
absolutely,  his  own  consciousness  and  knowledge ;  must 
contradict,  unequivocally,  the  consciousness  and  knowledge 
of  every  member  of  the  human  family ;  must  sacrifice  com- 
mon  sense  and  all  moral  honesty  ;  and,  with  demonstrations 
of  depravity,  and  with  a  boldness  of  presumption  that  would 
shock  the  moral  feelings  of  all  the  virtuous  and  pious  of 
our  race,  utterly  contemn  the  authority  of  the  Bible,  set  at 
defiance  the  terrors  of  "eternal  judgment,"  and  even  Jeho- 
vah himself.  And,  even  then,  the  world  would  be  a  wit- 
ness against  him;  for,  should  we  inquire  of  each  individual, 
if  he  knew  the  number  of  all  the  sins  he  ever  committed 
against  God,  and  the  time  when,  and  the  place  where  he 
was  judged  and  punished  accordingly,  he  must  answer.  No. 
And  if  men  do  not  know  it  individually,  they  cannot  know 
it  collectively ;  and,  of  course,  if  the  world  has  been  judg- 
ed, or  is  now  being  judged,  it  does  not  know  it.  This,  as 
has  been  shown,  is  more  revolting  than  even  atheism 
itself. 

And  now,  Universalism  has  no  alternative  but  either  to 
attack  the  common  sense,  the  experience,  consciousness, 
and  knowledge — the  reason  and  moral  honesty  of  each  indi- 
vidual of  mankind,  of  the  whole  world,  and  also  the  Bible, 
and  even  the  Almighty,  or  admit  that  these  awfully  grand 
scenes  are  yet  future.  And  then  indeed,  while  tlie  inspired 
Paul,  by  the  authority  of  God,  "reasons  of  righteousness, 
temperance,  and  juilgment  to  come,"  the  unrighteous,  licen- 
tious, and  deeply  corrupt  "  Felix "  of  Universalism  may 
well  "tremble,"  in  ^ipw,  with  all  other  jruiltv  oflenders,  of 


CHAP.    X.]  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  251 

meeting  a  righteous  Judge  in  a  future  and  coming  retribu- 
tion, Acts  xxiv,  25. 

It  must  now  be  seen,  from  the  foregoing,  that  if  the  Holy 
Scriptures  sustain  a  position,  prove  a  point,  or  demonstrate 
a  doctrine  within  the  whole  range  of  their  Divine  testimony, 
with  perfect  clearness,  it  is  that  of  a  future,  final,  general 
judgment,  and  retribution  at  the  close  of  this  world,  when 
every  man's  condition  will  be  settled  for  eternity. 

The  great  interest  involved  in  this  subject,  will  justify  a 
few  further  remarks  thereon  before  we  close. 

It  has  been  seen,  in  the  course  of  this  investigation,  that 
the  Savior,  as  a  consequence  of  the  work  of  redemption, 
his  resurrection  and  ascension  to  heaven,  has  received  the 
power  and  prerogative  as  the  only  Mediator  to  reign,  offi- 
cially, in  the  kingdom  of  grace,  and  rule  in  the  kingdom  of 
providence,  and  finally,  to  judge  the  world  in  righteousness ; 
honor  and  reward  the  holy  in  heaven,  and  punish  the  finally 
impenitent  and  wicked  in  hell.  We  have  also  seen  the  utter 
impossibility  of  the  reign  of  mediation  and  grace,  and  of 
the  final  judgment  at  the  same  time;  consequently,  this 
life  is  a  state  of  trial,  a  period  of  probation,  and  not  of  final 
judgment. 

Man  sustaining  this  gracious  relation  to  God,  and  the 
abundant  provision  made  for  his  recovery  from  sin,  is  com- 
manded to  repent;  "  God  commands  all  men  everywhere  to 
repent,"  Acts  xvii,  30.  Man  is  surrounded  with  the  means 
of  reformation  and  salvation ;  the  providence  of  God  pro- 
tects, his  grace  restrains  and  enlightens ;  the  Gospel  admon- 
ishes, invites,  and  instructs;  the  Church  weeps  and  prays; 
the  Holy  Spirit  moves  upon  the  moral  mass,  melts  and  sanc- 
tifies ;  and  Jesus  Christ  presents  the  merit  of  his  death  to 
move  man  to  faith,  obedience,  and  salvation.  But  in  all 
this  man  is  treated  according  to  the  constitution  and  charac- 
ter his  Maker  assigned  him  at  the  first — that  of  an  intelli- 
gent, free,  moral  agent. 


252  FUTURE    GENERAL    JUDGMENT.  [cHAP.    X. 

Man's  works  and  character  are  daily  ripening  for  the  final 
judgment:  the  pious  by  perseverance  in  doing,  and  patience 
in  suffering  the  iioly  will  of  God  ;  the  wicked  by  proudly 
opposing,  and  presumptuously  arraigning  and  censuring  the 
will  and  providence  of  God.  And  also  the  Divine  purposes 
are  fast  maturing  for  the  last,  the  general  judgment.  His 
providences,  his  word,  his  ministers,  his  grace  and  Spirit,  are 
waking  up  a  stupid  and  slumbering  world  ;  infidelity,  openly 
and  under  cover,  is  organized  or  organizing,  to  oppose ;  the 
battle  is  already  joined  ;  the  conflict  may  be  severe,  but  its 
termination  will  be  comparatively  soon  ;  and  the  voice  of 
the  archangel  with  the  trump  of  God,  and  with  the  sudden- 
ness of  the  electric  flash  will  consummate  the  scene,  and 
summon  the  world  to  the  bar  of  final  judgment;  when 
the  long  line  of  Adam's  posterity,  without  a  member  mis- 
sing, will  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of  Christ,  to- 
gether with  the  fallen  angels,  who  kept  not  their  first  estate, 
and  are  reserved  under  chains  of  darkness  to  the  judgment 
of  the  great  day.  Now,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  personally 
and  visibly  appears,  and  every  eye  shall  see  him,  and  those 
who  pierced  and  nailed  him  to  the  cross  shall  behold  him. 
He  appears,  but  not  as  the  destitute  babe  of  Bethlehem,  not 
as  the  slaughtered  lamb,  or  man  of  sorrows  in  the  garden, 
or  on  the  cross;  but  as  the  "Lion  of  Judah,"  the  Lord  of 
hosts.  Not  as  a  mediator  to  plead  for  sinners ;  not  to  offer 
them  his  grace,  his  Spirit,  the  merit  of  his  death  and  eter- 
nal salvation ;  these,  all  of  these,  have  been  slighted,  con- 
temned, abused,  and  insulted  by  the  wicked ;  but  to  sit  in 
judgment,  solemn  and  final  judgment,  upon  his  enemies — 
upon  the  world. 

Man  appears  personally  and  visibly  at  his  bar,  not  in  the 
obscurities  of  poverty  ;  not  with  the  distinctions  of  opulence, 
or  the  honors  of  office  ;  but  in  his  true  moral  character, 
with  all  his  works,  immediate  and  remote  ;  whether  pur- 
posed and  performed  directly  by  himself  in  life,  or  whether 


CHAP.  X.]      FUTURE  GENERAL  JUDGMENT.  253 

purposed,  and  means  and  circumstances  organized  while 
living,  and  accomplished  indirectly  atler  death ;  all  his 
works,  direct  and  indirect,  that  have  a  bearing  on  his  moral 
character,  will  meet  him  in  the  last  judgment.  And  now 
the  awful  developments  that  must  take  place  ;  the  charac- 
ter, every  perfection,  the  laws,  the  government,  and  admin- 
istration of  God,  have  all  been  impugned  and  impeached  ; 
man  has  injured,  oppressed,  enslaved  and  murdered  his 
brother;  virtue  and  piety  have  been  martyred,  and  sin  has 
reigned  in  triumph ;  justice  and  mercy  have  been  driven 
from  their  temples^  and  despotism  and  cruelty  have  reigned 
therein.  The  light  of  the  final  judgment  must  disclose  the 
whole,  and  vindicate  the  Eternal  throne  against  all  the  im- 
putations of  rebellious  and  unholy  men.  The  midnight 
gloom,  that  concealed  the  blood  of  injured  innocence,  and 
covered  from  human  eye  and  human  justice,  the  darkest 
deeds  of  wickedness,  will  be  dispelled  by  the  light  of  eter- 
nity, and  all  will  be  seen,  with  all  their  connections,  depen- 
dencies and  aggravations.  The  sighs  extorted  from  the 
innocent  and  humble,  by  the  arm  of  cruelty  and  oppression, 
will  now  become  vocal ;  tlie  tears  of  the  poor  and  pious, 
which  either  fell  unheeded,  or  were  matter  of  amusement 
for  the  profane,  will  now  become  eloquent ;  and  the  rising, 
spreading  cloud,  of  all  the  works  of  all  men,  will  appear  at 
the  judgment,  in  evidence  as  resistless  as  the  consciousness 
of  each  individual ;  and  in  the  light  of  the  Divine  omnis- 
cience, and  the  evidence  (not  merit)  of  their  works,  the  des- 
tiny of  each  one  of  our  race  will  be  settled  for  eternity. 
Not,  indeed,  that  the  omniscient  and  omnipresent  Judge 
needs  these  or  any  other  external  circumstance  to  guide  to 
a  correct  decision  in  the  case ;  but  their  works  will  be  the 
evidence  to  the  universe  of  their  faith  and  obedience,  or  dis- 
belief and  rebellion,  and  shall  operate  upon  the  judged  ;  and 
in  the  light  of  this  evidence,  every  one  shall  see,  that  in  his 
own,  and  in  the  sentence  of  everv  other  one,  the  decision  is 
22 


254  ENDLESS   PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

the  only  one  the  Judge  can  possibly  render,  without  denying 
his  own  authority,  and  abandoning  his  own  government  and 
throne.  And  when  the  Judge  shall  say,  Come,  ye  blessed ; 
and  depart  ye  cursed,  and  these  shall  go  away  into  everlast- 
ing punishment,  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal ;  every 
knee  shall  bow,  and  the  tongue  of  every  intelligent  being  in 
God's  universe  shall  confess,  that  the  decisions  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  in  judgment,  are  as  just  as  the  reign  of  his 
grace  was  merciful  and  glorious. 

Reader,  prepare  to  meet  thy  God  in  the  final  judgment  at 
the  last  day ;  this  done,  all  is  gained ;  this  neglected,  all  is 
irrecoverably  lost. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

ENDLESS     PUNISHMENT. 

Endless  Punishment — This  Doctrine  believed  by  the  Jews — Testi- 
mony of  Josephus — Not  Contradicted  or  Corrected  by  the  Savior — 
Hell  represents  a  State  and  Place  of  Suffering — This  Suffering  confin- 
ed to  this,  the  future  World,  or  may  be  Experienced  in  both — Can- 
not be  confined  to  this  World  without  making  Christ  the  Author  of 
Falsehood,  Deception,  and  Self-contradiction — Restorationist  View  of 
limited  Punishment  after  Death — Punishment  of  the  Wicked  after 
Death  endless — Universalist  Criticism  on  the  terms  For  Ever,  Ever- 
lastings and  Eternal — God  either  has,  or  he  has  not,  used  the  best 
terms  in  revealing  His  Will  to  Man — If  He  has,  the  Question  is  Set- 
tled. 

Unable  to  sustain  itself  on  other  ground,  Universalism 
hopes  to  escape  by  the  non-existence  of  hell,  or  a  place  and 
state  of  punishment  in  the  future  world. 

We  shall  not  stop  here  to  notice  its  numerous,  and  not 
unfrequently,  vain  and  absurd  speculations  on  the  original 
terms,  Tartarus,  Hades,  and  Gehenna,  which  are  rendered 
hell  in  our  translation  of  the  Scriptures ;  but  will  proceed 
at  once  to  the  real  question  at  issue.  The  question  is  not, 
whether  the  term  hell  refers  to  more  than  one  thing,  or  to 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  255 

things  and  places  in  time ;  but  whether  it  was  used  by  our 
Lord  to  designate  a  place  and  state  of  punishment  for  the 
wicked  in  the  future  world,  and  whether  he  was  so  under- 
stood by  those  who  heard  him. 

That  the  Jews,  to  whom  these  discourses  were  addressed, 
believed  in  the  future  and  endless  punishment  of  the  wicked 
after  death,  Universalism  has  to  admit ;  and  if  it  were  dis- 
posed to  deny  this,  it  is  susceptible  of  abundant  proof. 
One  example  here  will  answer  our  purpose  for  the  present: 
Josephus,  the  acknowledged  historian  of  the  Jews,  and  who 
was  not  himself  a  believer  in  Jesus  Christ,  in  stating  the 
belief  of  the  Jews  on  the  subject  of  Hades,  or  hell,  as  a 
place  of  punishment  after  death,  says:  "In  this  region, 
(Hades,  or  hell,)  there  is  a  certain  place  set  apart,  as  a  lake 
of  unquenchable  fire  ;  whereinto  we  suppose  no  one  hath 
hitherto  been  cast,  but  it  is  prepared  for  a  day  afore  deter- 
mined by  God,  in  which  one  righteous  sentence  shall  de- 
servedly be  passed  upon  all  men ;  when  the  unjust,  and 
those  that  have  been  disobedient  to  God,  and  have  given 
honor  to  such  idols  as  have  been  the  vain  operations  of  the 
hands  of  men  as  to  God  himself,  shall  be  adjudged  to  this 
everlasting  punishment,  as  having  been  causes  of  defile- 
ment; while  the  just  shall  obtain  an  incorruptible  and 
never-fading  kingdom^  Discourse  to  the  Greeks  concern- 
ing Hades. 

We  have  nothing  to  do  now  with  the  assumption  of  Uni- 
versalism, that  the  Jews  borrowed  their  notions  of  future 
punishment,  with  various  other  superstitions,  from  the 
heathens,  during  their  captivities  and  other  intercourse  with 
them ;  but  simply  with  the  fact,  that  the  Jews,  whatever 
source  they  derived  it  from,  did  unquestionably  believe,  at 
the  time  the  Savior  was  on  earth,  in  the  future,  endless 
punishment  of  the  wicked  in  another  world.  Now,  we 
have  only  to  look  into  the  New  Testament,  to  see  that 
Christ,  in  numerous  instances,  charges  the  Jews  with  errors 


256  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [ciIAP.    XI. 

in  doctrine,  and  ignorance  with  regard  to  their  own  Scrip- 
tures— the  law  and  the  prophets — their  traditions,  ceremo- 
nies, his  own  character  and  mission ;  and  yet,  in  no  single 
instance  is  it  on  record,  that  he  charged  them  with,  or  at- 
tempted to  correct  their  belief  in  future  endless  punishment. 
It  is  true,  Universalism  asserts,  that  though  he  did  not 
directly,  he  did  indirectly  make  this  charge,  and  attempt  to 
correct  their  error,  by  referring  them  to  the  resurrection  of 
the  body  ;  but  we  have  fully  shown  that  this  assumption  is 
perfectly  groundless,  and  that  what  the  Savior  there  said 
cannot  be  even  tortured  so  as  to  answer  the  purpose  of  the 
system  on  the  point.  He  not  only  did  not  attempt  to  cor- 
rect their  faith  on  this  point,  but  pursued  such  a  course,  and 
used  such  language,  as  could  not  fail,  in  the  circumstances 
of  the  case,  to  confirm  them  therein ;  and  such  was  the 
fact.  For  it  must  be  conceded  by  all,  that  Gehenna,  or  hell,- 
as  recognized  in  the  Scriptures,  is  considered  as  a  place  or 
state  of  punishment,  and  was  so  understood  by  the  Jews, 
and  so  used  by  the  Savior.  To  deny  this,  is  to  deny  the 
plainest  language  of  the  New  Testament;  for  the  strongest 
terms  of  suffering  and  torment  are  used  in  connection  with, 
and  having  direct  reference  to  the  term,  hell ;  such  as  "  ev- 
erlasting fire"'—"  the  fire  that  is  not  quenched" — "  where 
their  worm  dieth  not"— -"destruction,"  and  "  eternal  dam- 
nation." No  language  could  more  clearly  express  suffer- 
ing, and  a  place  and  state  of  punishment  of  some  kind  or 
other,  than  this  does ;  from  which  it  follows  conclusively, 
that  the  punishment  which  is  implied  in,  expressed  by,  or 
connected  with  the  term  hell,  must  mean  either,  1.  Tem- 
poral, literal  punishment,  and  is  confined  exclusively  and 
absolutely  to  this  world ;  or,  2.  It  must  mean  spiritual  and 
mental  punishment,  and  is  confined  absolutely  to  the  future 
world ;  or,  3.  It  must  necessarily  mean  both  temporal,  lit- 
eral suffering  in  this  world,  and  spiritual,  mental  suffering 
in  the  world  to  come. 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  1257 

None  can  doubt  the  correctness  of  this,  without  denying, 
in  the  face  of  proof  as  clear  as  demonstration  itself,  that 
hell  was  used  at  all  to  represent  a  place  and  state  of  punish- 
ment ;  and  the  man  or  the  system  that  would  do  this,  might 
be  an  object  of  pity  or  disgust  for  ignorance  or  dishonesty, 
but  surely  could  neither  be  believed  or  respected.  This 
subject,  therefore,  which  has  been  matter  of  preposterous 
trifling  and  presumptuous  speculation,  is  brought  into  so 
small  a  compass,  that  Universalism,  by  stern  necessity, 
must  take  one  or  more  of  those  positions.  This  it  cannot 
possibly  avoid,  without  openly  rejecting  the  Scriptures  as 
testimony  in  the  case.  And  should  it  take  either  of  the 
last  two,  and  allow  that  hell  is  used  to  represent  spiritual 
punishment  in  the  future  world  exclusively;  or  that  it  repre- 
sents this,  and  also  literal,  temporal  suffering  in  this  world, 
the  question  is  conceded,  that  the  Lord,  in  his  teachings  to 
the  Church  and  the  world,  established  the  doctrine  of  pun- 
ishment after  death,  and  in  the  future  world.  And  there  is 
no  alternative  between  this,  and  taking  the  first  position 
above  named;  that  hell,  as  used  by  our  Lord,  means  tem- 
poral punishment,  and  that  it  is  confined  exclusively  to  this 
world,  and  cannot,  by  any  possibility,  extend  beyond  this 
life. 

This,  indeed,  is  the  true  ground  of  Universalism,  and, 
consequently,  it  refers  the  term  hell,  generally,  to  the  Val- 
ley of  the  Son  of  Hinnom,  where  the  Canaanites  anciently 
sacrificed  their  children  to  their  great  idol,  Moloch ;  and  into 
which,  subsequently,  was  thrown  the  rubbish  and  off'al  of 
Jerusalem ;  and  asserts  that  the  punishment  of  hell,  as  de- 
nounced against  impenitent  sinners  by  our  Lord,  has  exclu- 
sive reference  to  those  facts  and  circumstances.  It  is  only 
necessary  to  cite  a  few  passages  from  the  teaching  of  Jesus 
Christ,  to  show  the  utter  absurdity  of  this  view  of  the  sub- 
ject. "  But  whosoever  shall  say,  Thou  fool,  shall  be  in 
danger  of  hell  (Gehenna)  fire,"  Matt,  v,  22.  "And  if  thv 
22 ' 


258  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  into 
life  maimed,  than  having  two  hands  to  go  into  hell,  into  the 
fire  that  never  shall  be  quenched :  where  their  worm  dieth 
not,  and  the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And  if  thy  foot  offend 
thee,  cut  it  off:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  halt  into  life, 
than  having  two  feet  to  be  cast  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that 
never  shall  be  quenched :  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and 
the  fire  is  not  quenched.  And  if  thine  eye  offend  thee, 
pluck  it  out:  it  is  better  for  thee  to  enter  the  kingdom  of 
God  with  one  eye,  than  having  two  eyes  to  be  cast  into  hell 
fire:  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched,"  Mark  ix,  43-48.  "  And  fear  not  them  which 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather 
fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in 
hell,"  Matt,  x,  28.  "  Wherefore,  ye  be  witnesses  unto 
yourselves,  that  ye  are  the  children  of  them  which  killed 
the  prophets.  Fill  ye  up  the  measure  of  your  fathers.  Ye 
serpents,  ye  generation  of  vipers,  how  can  ye  escape  the 
damnation  of  hell,"  Matt,  xxiii,  33.  Others  might  be  giv- 
en, but  here  are  four  distinct  cases ;  that  of  excessive  anger, 
and  calling  a  "  brother  a  fool " — being  led  into  error  by  an 
offending  member,  an  "eye,  hand,  or  foot" — want  of  pro- 
per filial  fear  of  God,  "  I  say  unto  you  fear  him  "—general 
impiety  of  character,  Pharisaical  bigotry  and  pride  ;  all  of 
which  are  threatened  with  the  danger  and  punishment  of 
hell. 

Now,  Jesus  Christ  either  did,  or  he  did  not,  mean  by  this, 
literal  punishment  in  this  world,  in  the  literal  fire  of  Ge- 
henna, or  the  Valley  of  Hinnom.  If  he  did  not,  then  the 
point  is  yielded ;  and  he  must  have  meant  spiritual  and 
mental  punishment  in  the  future  world,  and  must  have  been 
so  understood  by  the  Jews,  and  they  thereby  confirmed  in 
their  doctrine  of  future  punishment. 

But  Universalism  has  to  maintain  that  the  punishment 
was  literal,  and  in  this  world.     If  so,  those  thus  threatened 


CHAP.  XI.]       ENDLESS  PUNISHMENT.  259 

were  either  really  in  danger  of  it,  or  they  were  not.  If 
they  were,  who  was  to  inflict  this  punishment?  Surely  not 
Christ,  and  those  who  believed  in  him  as  the  Savior.  The 
boldest  infidelity  would  not  assert  this  in  the  face  of  all  the 
facts  to  the  contrary.  It  then  follows,  if  they  were  really 
in  danger  at  all,  it  must  have  been  from  among  themselves; 
that  the  unbelieving  Jews  would  take  up  those  offenders 
mentioned  by  the  Savior,  and  burn  them  in  the  fires  of  Ge- 
henna. But  were  such  the  facts  in  the  case  ?  Most  assu- 
redly not.  And  it  is  utterly  impossible  that  Christ  could 
threaten  offenders  with  punishment  from  any  such  source ; 
and  to  suppose  he  did,  is  to  make  a  desperate  and  reckless 
effort  to  save  a  sinking  system,  at  the  sacrifice  of  the  entire 
character  of  Jesus  Christ  for  truth  and  honesty.  And  the 
consequences  cannot  be  changed  by  asserting,  that  they 
were  not  really  in  danger ;  for  this  will  make  Christ  utter 
deliberate  falsehood,  in  attempting  to  alarm  their  fears,  by 
threatening  them  with  punishment  to  which  he  knew  they 
were  not  at  all  exposed.  For  it  is  too  plain  to  require 
proof,  that  the  Jews  had  no  law  to  punish  men  any  where, 
or  in  any  way,  for  the  moral  offenses  that  the  Savior  here 
enumerates.  This  was  known  to  Jesus  himself,  and  per- 
fectly understood  by  all  who  heard  him ;  and  yet  Univer- 
salism  makes  him  say,  in  substance  and  meaning,  "  Who- 
soever shall  call  his  brother  a  fool,  and  whosoever  shall  be 
led  into  sin  by  an  eye,  hand,  or  foot,  shall  be  in  danger  of 
being  literally  burned  up  in  the  fire  of  Gehenna,  or  in  the 
Valley  of  the  Son  of  Hinnom.  And  ye  serpents,  (the 
Pharisees,  who  possessed  the  power  chiefly,  and  controlled 
the  affairs,  both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  among  the  Jews  at 
the  time,)  how  can  ye  escape  the  damnation  of  hell  ?  that 
is,  ye  shall  surely  be  literally  burned  in  the  Valley  of  Hin- 
nom, for  your  pride  and  Pharisaism  I  "  All  of  which 
would  have  been  consummate  folly,  and  utterly  false ;  for 
they  knew  perfectly  that  they  were  no  more  in  danger  of 


260  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

any  such  literal  punishment  and  fire,  than  they  were  of  be- 
ing drowned  in  the  sun,  or  destroyed  in  an  earthquake  in 
the  moon. 

Further,  the  Savior  says,  "  Fear  not  them  which  shall 
kill  the  body,  but  are  not  able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather 
fear  him  which  is  able  to  destroy  both  soul  and  body  in 
hell."  Here,  also,  Universalism  makes  Christ  not  only  utter 
nonsense,  but  contradict  himself  in  the  same  sentence.  He 
had  just  told  his  disciples  that  they  would  be  hated  of  men, 
brought  before  magistrates,  persecuted  and  delivered  up  to 
death,  and  now  tells  them  in  all  this  to  rejoice,  and  not  to 
fear  them  that  could  kill  the  body ;  then,  in  the  same 
breath,  solemnly  warns  them  to  fear  him  (some  one  of  the 
multitude  we  suppose)  that  could  destroy  them  in  the  fire  of 
Gehenna;  that  is,  utterly  disregard  death,  and  rejoice  in  the 
prospect  of  it  in  any  and  every  form ;  and  at  the  same  time 
entertain  fear  of  it  in  one  form — fear  and  not  fear  on  the 
same  subject,  at  precisely  the  same  moment! 

That  Jesus  Christ  could  be  the  author  of  such  unhal- 
lowed trifling,  is  what  none  but  a  reckless  infidel  can  be- 
lieve ;  and  yet  Universalism,  by  inevitable  consequences, 
attributes  all  this  to  the  blessed  Savior;  for  there  is  no  alter- 
native between  charging  Jesus  Christ  with  falsehood,  de- 
ception, and  self-contradiction,  and  totally  rejecting  the  dog- 
ma, that  sinners  were  in  danger  of  the  literal  fire  of  Ge- 
henna. Falsehood,  in  threatening  off'enders  with  a  punish- 
ment to  which  they  never  were  exposed — for  we  hazard 
nothing  in  saying,  that  no  man  living  was  ever  punished 
with  the  literal  fire  of  Gehenna  for  the  oflfenses  designated 
by  the  Savior;  deception,  in  alarming  their  fears,  when 
they  were  in  no  possible  danger  of  the  threatened  punish- 
ment ;  self-contradiction,  in  teaching  his  disciples  to  fear, 
and  not  to  fear  deatli,  at  the  same  time.  And  Universalism 
must  either  make  this  charge,  and  thereby  openly  reject 
Christ,  as  it  does  now  by  its  consequences,  or  admit  that 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  261 

he  threatened  offenders  with  a  punishment  that  they  never 
did,  and  never  could,  experience  in  this  world,  and,  conse- 
quently, that  it  belongs  to  the  future  world  ;  and  that  this 
punishment  is  represented  by  being  "cast  into  hell" — 
'*  the  fire  of  hell" — "the  fire  that  never  shall  be  quench- 
ed." Then  the  doctrine  stands  a  sublime  and  solemn  truth, 
declared  by  the  Son  of  God,  and  an  awful  warning  to  sin- 
ners;  while  its  opposite,  as  maintained  by  Universalism,  is 
alike  opposed  to  the  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  the  faith  of 
his  Church,  and  the  interests  of  man ;  perfectly  useless  to 
the  pious,  and  only  calculated  to  minister  a  false  comfort  to 
the  ungodly  and  profane. 

The  preposterous  assumption,  by  the  less  informed,  and 
more  reckless  advocates  and  votaries  of  Universalism,  that 
conscience,  in  this  world,  is  the  only  punishment,  or  hell, 
to  which  sinners  are  liable,  has  been  fully  exposed  in  an- 
other place,  and  need  not  be  farther  noticed  at  this  time. 

Aware  of  the  portentous  alternative  of  rejecting  Christ 
and  avowing  open  infidelity,  and  allowing  the  doctrine  of 
the  judgment  and  punishment  of  the  wicked  after  death,  a 
portion  of  the  advocates  of  Universalism,  calling  themselves 
Restorationists,  have  endeavored  to  evade  the  consequences, 
by  admitting  a  future  judgment,  and  that  the  term  hell,  as 
used  so  frequendy  by  the  Savior,  implies  a  state,  and  place 
of  punishment  for  the  wicked  after  death ;  but  maintain,  at 
the  same  time,  that  this  punishment  is  limited  as  to  its  du- 
ration, and  that  the  punished  shall  thereby  be  prepared  for, 
and  finally  saved  in  heaven.  To  that  refuge,  therefore,  we 
follow  this  fragment  of  the  broken  system  of  Universalism. 

And,  first,  the  ground  and  necessity  of  that  supposed 
limited  punishment  after  death,  and  in  the  future  world, 
must  be  absolutely  and  without  doubt,  the  claims  of  God 
and  his  law  upon  the  sinner,  on  account  of  his  moral  de- 
pravity and  delinquency,  or  it  is  not.  Now,  if  it  be  said 
that  it  is  not,  and  that  neither  God  nor  his  law  requires  any 


262  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  LcHAP.    XI. 

such  suffering,  tlien  it  is  clear  even  to  a  demonstration,  that 
such  suffering  is  not  only  useless,  but  unjust  and  cruel; 
from  which  it  is  just  as  clear,  that  the  claims  of  God's 
law  are  the  ground  and  necessity  of  the  sinner's  punish- 
ment in  the  future  state,  as  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  God 
cannot  be  unjust  and  cruel.  Those  claims  must  extend  to 
the  obligation  of  present  obedience  alone,  wholly  irrespec- 
tive of  the  past ;  or  they  must  extend  to  present  obligation 
to  obey,  and  also,  to  past  delinquencies.  If  Restorationism 
takes  the  position,  that  the  claims  extend  alone  to  present 
obligation  of  obedience,  to  the  exclusion  of  past  delinquen- 
cies, it  follows  without  the  possibility  of  evasion,  that  the 
Bible  is  not  the  word  of  God,  or  that  he  will  deny  and  con- 
tradict his  own  word ;  for  it  has  been  seen,  that  the  Bible 
unequivocally  declares,  that  "  every  secret  thing"  shall  be 
brought  into  judgment;  "that  every  idle  word  that  men 
shall  speak,  they  shall  give  account  thereof  in  the  day  of 
judgment ;"  and  that  this  refers  to  past  delinquencies  and 
sins  committed  previously  to  the  day  of  judgment,  the  Scrip- 
tures place  beyond  all  doubt:  "  For  we  must  all  appear  be- 
fore the  judgment-seat  of  Christ;  that  every  one  may 
receive  the  things  done  in  his  body,  according  to  that  he 
hath  done,  whether  it  be  good  or  bad."  Now,  as  the  Bible 
connects  men's  past  sins  and  evil  works  with  the  day  of 
judgment,  and  the  punishment  of  the  wicked,  if  God  ex- 
cludes those  past  delinquencies  from  that  judgment  and  its 
results,  the  above  consequences  follow  with  resistless  force, 
that  the  Bible  is  not  the  word  of  God,  and  wholly  misre- 
presents the  case ;  or  if  it  be  his  word,  he  will  wholly  deny 
and  contradict  it,  and  proceed  in  the  judgment  and  punish- 
ment of  sinners  on  an  entirely  different  plan.  This  view, 
therefore,  as  it  must  necessarily  impeach  either  the  charac- 
ter of  God,  or  his  holy  word,  must  be  rejected  as  utterly 
false  and  pernicious.  It  follows  then,  conclusively,  that  the 
Divine  claims,  which  form  the  ground  and  necessity  of  the 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  263 

punishment  of  the  wicked  after  the  judgment,  extend,  not 
only  to  the  obligations  of  present  obedience,  but  also  to  the 
past,  with  all  its  crimes  and  moral  delinquencies ;  and  to 
meet  and  relieve  the  case  at  all,  it  is  perfectly  undeniable 
that  the  sinner,  thus  condemned  to  punishment,  must  render 
perfect  obedience  for  the  present,  and  at  the  same  time  suf- 
fer, in  exact  proportion,  according  to  the  decisions  of  eter- 
nal justice,  to  the  strength  and  extent  of  obligations  violated 
in  the  past. 

But  what  is  the  extent  of  the  moral  obligations  of  obedi- 
ence which  sinners  violate  while  living  ?     It  must  be,  either, 

1.  Greater  than  man's  powers  and  capacities  to  obey ;  or, 

2.  Less  than  his  capacities  of  obedience ;  or,  3.  Precisely 
equal  to  his  capacities  of  obedience. 

To  suppose  the  first,  is  to  suppose  that  God  can  be  un- 
reasonable, unjust,  and  cruel,  in  requiring  more  of  man  than 
he  has  given  him  capacity,  means,  and  opportunities  to  per- 
form ;  and  then  punishing  him  for  not  performing  impossi- 
bilities. To  suppose  the  second,  is,  as  has  been  shown  in 
another  place,  to  render  man  wholly  independent  of  his 
Maker,  by  just  so  far  as  God  has  given  him  powers  and 
means  of  obeying,  but  does  not  require  them  to  be  employ- 
ed in  his  service.  If  this  is  a  correct  position,  then  man 
may  obey  and  serve  God  acceptably,  while  those  powers  of 
his  nature  to  which  the  Divine  claims  of  obedience  do  not 
extend,  are  employed  in  the  commission  of  all  manner  of 
crime ;  than  which  a  greater  absurdity  cannot  be  imagined, 
or  a  greater  indignity  be  offered  to  God  and  his  government. 

If,  then,  the  claims  of  God  upon  man  cannot  be  either 
more  or  less  than,  they  must  be  precisely  equal  to,  his  en- 
tire capacities,  means,  and  opportunities  to  obey,  and,  con- 
sequently, the  punishment  for  the  violation  of  those  obliga- 
tions must  be  as  extensive  as  the  claims  violated ;  and,  if 
so,  it  must  of  necessity  be  precisely  equal  to  his  capacity 
of  obedience.     From  which  it  is  unquestionable,  that  the 


264  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

sufferings  of  the  wicked,  condemned  in  the  last  judgment 
to  this  supposed  limited  punishment,  must  be,  either,  1. 
Precisely  equal  to  the  Divine  claims  for  present  obedience, 
to  the  entire  exclusion  of  the  past;  or,  1.  This  punishment 
must  be  precisely  equal  to  his  violations  and  delinquencies 
for  the  past,  to  the  entire  exclusion  of  the  obligations  of 
obedience  at  the  present;  or,  3.  He  must  render  perfect 
obedience  for  the  present,  and,  at  the  same  time,  suffer  in 
exact  proportion  to  the  Divine  claims  of  obedience,  and  his 
own  sins  and  delinquencies  in  all  the  past. 

If  the  first  position  be  taken,  then  it  follows  that  the 
claims  of  God,  and  the  delinquencies  of  man  for  the  past, 
are  not  taken  into  the  account ;  and  if  so,  as  has  been 
shown,  the  Bible  is  not  the  word  of  God,  or  he  will  con- 
tradict and  deny  his  own  word.  But,  as  the  Bible  is  the 
word  of  God,  and  he  will  not  contradict  or  deny  it ;  and  as, 
according  to  this  position,  the  punishment  of  the  wicked  in 
the  future  world  does  not  include  past  delinquencies ;  and, 
as  the  system  utterly  rejects  the  pardon  or  remission  of  the 
punishment  for  sin,  those  delinquencies  unpardoned  must 
remain  an  eternal  charge  against  him,  stamp  him  with  eter- 
nal delinquency  unpardoned,  and  make  him  the  object  of 
endless  punishment. 

And  if  the  second  member  of  the  case  be  assumed,  that 
his  punishment  is  just  in  proportion  to  past  obligations,  to 
the  exclusion  of  the  present,  the  consequences  are  no  less 
fatal.  For,  as  we  have  clearly  seen,  the  extent  of  the  claims 
in  the  past  were  equal  to  his  entire  capacity  of  obedience, 
should  he,  by  suffering,  instead  of  doing  or  obeying,  suc- 
ceed in  repairing  the  delinquencies  of  the  past,  it  must  of 
necessity  be  at  the  expense  of  present  obedience,  in  viola- 
ting present  obligations,  and,  consequently,  contracting  a 
new  debt  just  as  great  as  the  old  one  discharged;  or,  by 
involving  himself  in  delinquencies  for  the  neglect  of  present 
obedience,    just  as   fearful    as   those    which    he    liad    met. 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  265 

Therefore,  in  this  view  also,  he  must  remain  an  eternal  de- 
linquent, and,  consequently,  the  subject  of  endless  punish- 
ment. 

And  the  last  position,  that  his  punishment  is  equal  to 
present  obligations  of  obedience  and  past  violations,  is  more 
hopeless,  if  possible,  than  the  others ;  for  it  involves  an  ab- 
(Surdity — a  contradiction — an  utter  impossibility.  If  the 
claims  of  God  extend  to  the  entire  capacity  of  man  to  obey, 
it  is  perfectly  undeniable  that  this  claim,  in  the  case  before 
us,  for  present  obedience,  requires  the  exercise  of  his  whole 
powers  and  capacity  in  rendering  present  perfect  obedience; 
and  then  to  suppose  that  he,  at  the  same  time,  can  effect  a 
work,  whether  by  suffering  or  otherwise,  of  equal  magni- 
tude to  cover  past  delinquencies,  is  as  impossible  as  to  raise 
the  dead,  or  create  a  world. 

From  which  it  follows,  with  a  conclusiveness  which  can- 
not be  resisted,  1.  That  God  must  relinquish  his  claim  upon 
the  condemned  sinner,  either  for  present  or  past  obedience, 
and  thereby  deny  and  contradict  both  himself  and  his  word  ; 
or,  2.  That  the  sinner  thus  condemned  to  punishment,  must 
accomplish  an  impossibility  equal  to  that  of  raising  the 
dead  or  creating  a  world  ;  or,  3.  The  punishment  of  the 
wicked  so  condemned  must  be  eternal.  But  God  will  not 
deny  and  contradict  himself  and  his  word,  and  man  cannot, 
either  in  this  or  the  future  world,  perform  impossibilities ; 
therefore,  the  unreformed,  impenitent,  and  unpardoned  sin- 
ner, who  meets  his  crimes  in  the  final  judgment  at  the  bar 
of  God,  and  is  therefore  condemned  to  punishment  in  the 
future  world,  must  suffer  "the  vengeance  of  eternal  fire;'* 
and,  consequently,  from  whatever  point  you  may  view  the 
subject,  limited  punishment  in  the  future  world,  as  it  regards 
time,  is  not  only  wholly  unauthorized  and  unsupported  by 
the  word  of  God,  but  is,  in  the  very  nature  of  the  case, 
utterly  impossible. 

But,  secondly,  should  we,  for  the  sake  of  argument, 
23 


266  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

allow  the  doctrine  of  future  punishment  for  a  limited  time, 
so  far  would  it  be  from  supporting  Bible  Christianity  and 
honoring  Jesus  Christ,  that  it  would  flatly  contradict  the 
plain  doctrines  of  the  former,  and,  to  all  intents  and  pur- 
poses, exclude  the  latter  from  being  the  Savior  of  all  such 
as  should  be  thus  punished.  The  proof  of  this,  which  we 
will  here  adduce,  is  short,  but  plain  and  conclusive.  * 

This  supposed  limited  punishment  in  the  future  world,  is 
strictly  and  absolutely  necessary  to  prepare  the  sufferer  for, 
and  without  which,  according  to  God's  purposes  and  gov- 
ernment, they  could  not  possibly  be  saved  in  heaven,  or  it 
is  not.  If  it  should  be  said  that  it  is  not  absolutely  neces- 
sary, and  yet  God  inflicts  this  punishment,  it  must  be  either 
unnecessary,  or  a  matter  of  entire  indifl*erence ;  and  to 
charge  the  Almighty  with  either,  would  be  an  impeachment 
alike  of  his  goodness  and  justice,  and  indeed  of  his  whole 
character ;  and  it  is  impossible,  without  making  this  charge 
against  Deity,  to  avoid  the  conclusion,  that  this  punishment 
is  absolutely  necessary,  and  without  which  their  salvation  in 
heaven  is  impossible. 

With  these  facts  before  us,  it  follows,  beyond  the  power 
of  successful  contradiction,  that  notwithstanding  all  Jesus 
Christ  has  done,  is  doing,  or  can  possibly  do  for  them,  he 
has  failed,  and  must  for  ever  fail,  to  save  them  without  this 
punishment.  To  deny  this,  is  to  render  the  punishment 
unnecessary,  and  involve  the  consequences  shown  above. 
It  then  follows,  with  the  utmost  clearness,  that  sufl*ering 
does  for  them  what  Christ  must  fail  to  do  ;  and,  of  course, 
they  are  not  saved  by  Christ,  but  by  sufl'ering ;  not  saved 
by  grace  through  faith  in  Christ,  but  wholly  independent  of 
grace  and  without  faith ;  not  saved  by  the  blood  of  the 
cross,  by  the  washing  of  regeneration,  and  the  renewing  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  by  the  purifying  of  punishment,  and 
the  virtue  of  personal  sufl'ering.  Then  they  will  not  enter 
heaven  as  a  g^racious  reward,  but  demand  it  as  their  abso- 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  267 

lute  right,  having  met  in  their  own  person  and  removed  ev- 
ery obstacle  out  of  the  way.  And  while  those  saved  on 
the  principles  of  the  Gospel,  by  Jesus  Christ,  sing,  "  Unto 
him  that  loved  us,  and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  his  own 
blood,  and  made  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God  and  his 
Father;  to  him  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever," 
Rev.  i,  5,  6;  these  must  sing.  Unto  the  punishment  we  en- 
dured in  our  own  persons,  and  that  fitted  us  for  heaven ; 
unto  this  be  glory  and  dominion  for  ever  and  ever! 

It  cannot,  therefore,  be  denied,  that  as  the  Scriptures  ev- 
erywhere teach  salvation  by  Christ,  through  grace,  and  the 
system  of  limited  future  punishment  teaches,  by  its  una- 
voidable consequences,  salvation  without  either  grace  or 
Christ,  it  clearly  contradicts  the  word  of  God,  and  totally 
rejects  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  all  such  as  thus  pro- 
cure a  qualification  for  heaven  by  their  own  personal  suf- 
ferings. 

We  are  not,  however,  unapprised  of  the  fact,  that  this 
modification  of  Universalism  endeavors  to  escape  those  con- 
sequences, and  keep  up  appearances,  by  assuming  that  this 
limited  future  punishment  does  not  itself  prepare  the  pun- 
ished for  heaven ;  but  only  humbles  them  into  penitency, 
and  thereby  brings  them  to  Christ,  that  he  may  save  them. 
This  is  wholly  begging  the  question,  and  is  little,  if  any 
thing,  less  than  dishonorable  evasion.  The  assumption  is 
most  positively  denied;  and  the  world  might  be  challenged 
to  adduce  the  proof,  that  God  has  made  provision  for  the 
repentance,  reformation,  moral  change,  and  salvation  in  the 
future  world,  of  those  who  live  and  die  unholy  and  unpar- 
doned in  this,  world.  And  deep  and  dark  must  be  the  cor- 
ruption, and  bold  the  infidelity  of  that  system,  that  will  set 
the  revealed  will  of  God  at  defiance,  and  challenge  man  to 
peril  his  eternal  interests  on  its  own  presumptuous  dogmas; 
such,  however,  is  the  character  of  this  branch  of  Universal- 
ism.    But  knowing  that  the  assumptions  of  the  system, 


268  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

however  unscriptural  and  absurd,  if  unnoticed,  are  claimed 
to  be  unanswerable,  before  leaving  this  point,  we  will  en- 
deavor to  remove  this  last  resort  of  the  Restorationist  fea- 
ture of  Universalism. 

What  is  recognized  in  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  sin,  unho- 
liness,  rebellion  and  crime,  by  this  modification  of  the  sys- 
tem, is  called  by  the  mild  name  of  a  "  moral  disease,"  with 
which  mankind  are  afflicted ;  and  all  suffering  or  punish- 
ment, whether  administered  in  this  or  the  future  world,  is 
the  merciful  remedy  which  God  applies  to  cure  man  of  this 
moral  malady.  And  if  it  is  not  effectual,  which  is  often  the 
case,  in  this  life,  it  must  be  continued,  and  in  all  proba- 
bility greatly  increased,  in  the  next  world,  till  it  finally 
effects  a  cure,  and  the  sufferer  is  thereby  humbled,  brought 
to  Christ,  prepared  for,  and  saved  in  heaven. 

Now,  this  moral  disease,  which  renders  this  future  lim- 
ited punishment  necessary,  and  by  which  it  is  supposed  the 
sinner  will  be  brought  to  Christ  and  saved  after  he  leaves 
this  world,  must  necessarily  have  its  origin  in,  or  be  the  re- 
sult of,  either,  first,  the  constitution  man  received  from  his 
Maker,  and  over  which  he  has  no  possible  control ;  or, 
second,  man's  own  voluntary  moral  conduct.  Any  other 
supposition  will  take  the  case  out  of  the  hands  of  both  God 
and  man,  and  involve  the  absurdity  of  representing  God 
as  inflicting  and  man  enduring  punishment,  in  a  case  where 
man  is  not  a  delinquent,  and  where  God  has  no  claims. 

This  cannot  be  avoided,  only  by  allowing  one  or  the  other 
of  the  above  positions.  If  it  is  said  that  this  moral  disease 
has  its  origin  in,  or  is  the  result  of,  man's  moral  actions, 
such  moral  actions  must  have  reference  to  God's  moral  law 
and  government,  and  be  recognized  by  the  Divine  law  as 
delinquencies,  otherwise  we  must  suppose  the  revolting  sen- 
timent, that  God  punishes  men  for  obedience  to  his  holy 
law  and  government.  This  brings  us  directly  and  necessa- 
rily  to  the  same  ground  already  examined — that  man,  in 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  269 

consequence  of  his  moral  conduct,  is  a  guilty  delinquent  lo 
God ;  and  the  Divine  government,  if  he  lives  and  dies  in 
sin,  requires  his  punishment.  Here,  also,  precisely  the 
same  conclusions  and  consequences  follow  as  in  the  above 
case,  as  already  shown. 

From  those  consequences,  so  ruinous  to  their  specula- 
tions, Restorationists,  or  the  advocates  of  limited  future 
punishment,  have  no  escape,  other  than  to  take  the  second 
position  allowed  them,  and  make  this  moral  disease,  to  cure 
which  the  wicked  must  be  punished  for  a  time  in  the  next 
world,  the  unavoidable  result  of  the  nature  and  constitution 
man  received  from  his  Maker. 

But  even  this  assumption  can  afford  no  relief,  but,  if 
possible,  must  aggravate  the  difficulties  of  the  system ;  for 
it,  by  unavoidable  consequences,  charges  the  Almighty  with 
the  whole  mass  of  man's  moral  pollution  and  delinquency, 
by  giving  him  a  constitution  and  nature  which  must  inevita- 
bly, and  to  an  absolute  certainty,  result  in  all  the  depravity 
and  crime  of  which  man  is  guilty,  and  over  which  he  has 
no  more  control  than  he  has  over  the  color  of  his  hair,  the 
complexion  of  his  skin,  or  the  revolution  of  the  planets. 
And,  to  aggravate  the  case,  God  has  sternly  forbidden  all 
this  depravity  and  crime,  the  existence  of  which  he  has 
rendered  inevitable  by  the  constitution  which  he  has  given 
to  man ;  and  to  consummate  this  cruelty  and  injustice,  he 
punishes  man  in  this,  and  the  future  world,  for  the  invinci- 
ble consequences  of  that  defective  constitution  which  he 
gave  to  him ;  while,  as  we  have  seen  in  examining  this 
subject,  otl^ier  positions,  to  maintain  future  limited  punish- 
ment, cannot  be  sustained  without  impeaching  the  Bible, 
and  rejecting  Jesus  Christ  as  a  Savior.  This  view  must 
attribute  a  character  to  the  Almighty,  to  own  which,  the 
most  CTuel  tyrant  on  earth  might  well  blush.  This  modifi- 
cation of  the  system  must  therefore  either  reject  the  holy 
character  of  God,  together  with  his  best  gifts  to  man — 
2'S* 


270  ENDLESS   PUNISHMENT.  [CHAP.    XI. 

Christ  and  the  Bible  ;  or  yield  the  doctrine  of  limited  future 
punishment  after  death,  as  a  mischievous  subtilty  of  a  de- 
signing infidelity,  M^hich  has  not  magnanimity  enough  open- 
ly to  discard  the  Bible  and  Christianity,  but  seeks  their 
overthrow  by  fraud  and  deep  deception. 

With  the  facts  so  clearly  before  us,  that  men  immersed 
in  crimes  of  the  most  aggravated  character,  in  utter  impeni- 
tency  and  unbelief,  die  and  leave  this  world ;  and  that  they 
must  meet  God  in  the  final  judgment ;  that  there  is  a  hell, 
or  state  and  place  of  punishment  for  the  wicked  after  death 
and  judgment ;  and  that  this  punishment  is  not,  nay  more, 
cannot  be  limited  as  to  duration,  without  impeaching  either 
the  character  of  the  Bible,  or  the  character  of  God,  (the 
former  would  establish  infidelity,  the  latter  atheism,)  the 
conclusion,  even  in  the  absence  of  all  direct  proof,  defies 
all  evasion,  that  the  punishment  of  the  finally  impenitent  in 
the  future  state  is  endless. 

But,  before  closing  this  part  of  our  work,  we  will  adduce 
some  direct  proof  on  this  point.  "  Then  shall  he  say  also 
unto  them  on  the  left  hand,  Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed, 
into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the  devil  and  his  angels. 
*  *  *  And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punish- 
ment :  but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal,"  Matt,  xxv,  41,  46. 
♦'  "Who  shall  be  punished  with  everlasting  destruction  from 
the  presence  of  the  liord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his  power," 
2  Thess.  i,  9.  "  Where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire 
is  not  quenched,"  Mark  ix,  44.  That  this  solemn  language 
has  reference  to  the  future  and  endless  condition  of  men, 
has  already  been  shown  in  this  investigation,  and  need  not 
be  farther  noticed  in  this  place. 

The  only  point,  therefore,  to  be  settled,  is.  Do  the  terms, 
everlasting,  for  ever,  and  eternal,  when  applied  to  man  in 
his  future  state,  express  his  unchangeable  and  endless  con- 
dition? Universalism,  alarmed  at  the  accumulating  difficul- 
ties, and  the  impossibility  of  averting  the  application  of  this 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  271 

language  of  the  word  of  God  from  the  condition  of  man  in 
the  future  world,  makes  a  desperate  effort  to  destroy,  or  at 
least  diminish  its  force,  by  concentrating  a  mass  of  pseudo- 
criticism  to  show  that  those  terms  are  necessarily  limited 
in  their  signification,  and  are  of  no  force  in  settling  the  end- 
less destiny  of  man  in  the  future  state.  As  we  do  not  wish 
to  treat  those  master  critics  with  neglect,  neither  do  we  in- 
tend to  be  diverted  from  the  main  question  at  issue,  we 
will,  therefore,  give  a  quotation  or  two,  which  may  be  con 
sidered  as  a  fair  specimen  of  the  whole. 

We  quote  first  Mr.  A.  C.  Thomas,  to  whom  reference 
has  been  made  before.  "In  reviewing  your  criticism  on 
the  Greek  noun,  aio7i,  and  its  derivative  adjective.  *  *  * 
No  adjective  can  express  any  more  than  is  expressed  by 
the  noun  to  which  it  is  relative.  *  *  *  From  hence  it 
will  follow,  that  if  the  aion  does  not  strictly  signify  eter- 
nity, the  adjective  cannot,  in  itself,  express  an  endless  du- 
ration. *  *  *  From  the  foregoing  considerations,  the 
conclusion  is  obvious,  that  of  whatever  words  the  noun, 
aion,  may  be  formed,  it  does  not  signify  eternity ;  and,  con- 
sequently, its  derivative  adjective  cannot,  in  itself,  signify 
an  endless  duration.  In  perfect  agreement  with  those  facts, 
we  find,  that  the  word  everlasting  is  applied,  in  the  Septua- 
gint,  to  the  priesthood  of  Aaron,  which  was  abolished  to 
make  room  for  the  priesthood  of  Christ;  to  the  everlasting 
covenant  of  the  law,  which  was  superseded  by  the  Gospel 
covenant;  to  the  everlasting  possession  of  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, which  the  Jews  do  not  now  possess ;  and  to  other 
everlastings,  which  not  only  had  no  reference  to  a  future 
existence,  but  were  temporary  in  their  character,  and  lim- 
ited in  their  duration."     Theol.  Dis.,  pp.  113-115. 

We  give  next  Mr.  J.  Kidwell's  views:  "This  is  the 
sense  in  which  the  Hebrews  used  the  term  olem,  and  the 
Greeks  aion.  When  they  spake  of  the  servitude  of  a  man 
for  life,  they  called  it  olem-aion  ;  or,  for  ever.     When  they 


272  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [ciIAP.    XI. 

spake  of  the  time  Jonah  was  in  the  fish's  belly,  although  it 
was  but  three  days,  they  expressed  the  length  of  time  by 
the  very  same  term.  By  a  careful  examination  of  the  sub- 
ject, it  will  be  found  that  the  terms  for  ever,  everlasting, 
and  eternal,  are  always  to  be  understood  in  this  sense,  as 
Scripture  terms;  this  rule  of  construction  is  invariable. 
According  to  the  present  use  of  terms,  the  English  word, 
age,  would  come  much  nearer  expressing  the  sense  of  the 
original  terms,  than  the  words  everlasting  or  eternaV  An 
Original  Essay  on  the  coming  of  the  Son  of  Man,  pp.  66,  67. 

We  might  inflict  upon  the  reader  much  more  of  the  same 
kind  of  criticism ;  but  as  this  is  a  fair  specimen,  and  as  we 
do  not  design  to  bestow  but  a  few  passing  remarks  on  it, 
more  would  be  unnecessary,  and  but  a  waste  of  time. 

It  is  seen,  that  notwithstanding  Mr.  Thomas  is  much 
more  cautious  and  ingenious  in  covering  the  absurdity  of 
his  criticism  than  Mr.  Kid  well,  they  both  arrive  at  the  same 
conclusion ;  and  in  this  they  agree  with  all  Universalist 
criticism  on  the  point,  in  excluding  the  idea  of  endless  du- 
ration from  the  terms  under  consideration,  and  restricting 
their  proper  meaning  to  an  "  age,"  or  an  indefinitely  "  long, 
but  certainly  limited  period."  And,  indeed,  if  this  cannot 
be  done,  the  case  of  Universalism  is  hopeless. 

Instead  of  following  the  system  in  a  pretended  tour  of 
the  world,  in  the  character  of  criticism,  in  which  itself,  with 
all  who  attempt  to  follow  it,  are  lost  in  darkness  dense  as 
that  which  shrouded  Egypt  when  under  the  curse  of  God, 
we  will  endeavor  to  bring  it  to  points  and  facts  which  may 
safely  defy  all  this  display  of  criticism. 

The  terms  for  ever,  everlasting,  and  eternal,  in  their  Scrip- 
tural import  and  meaning,  must  be  either,  1.  Absolutely  un- 
limited in  their  nature  and  signification,  and  applied  properly 
to  objects  and  things  of  endless  duration,  but  used  in  an  ac- 
commodated sense,  to  represent  things  limited  in  their  ex- 
istence and  duration ;  or,  2.  They  are  absolutely  limited  in 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  27." 

their  nature  and  signification,  and  restricted  in  their  proper 
application  to  objects  and  things  which  are  necessarily  lim- 
ited in  duration,  and  applied  improperly,  or  in  an  accom- 
modated sense,  to  represent  objects  and  things  of  endless 
being  or  duration.  In  this  view,  the  whole  range  of  specu- 
lation indulged  in  by  the  system  is  reduced  to  two  points, 
one  of  which  must  necessarily  be  the  truth. 

Universalism  cannot  possibly  take  the  first  position  with- 
out yielding  the  entire  que«tion,  and  wholly  relinquishing 
the  contest.  And  the  system  has  no  choice,  but  must  risk 
all  on  the  second  position — that  the  appropriate  signification 
of  the  terms  is  limited,  and  that  they  are  applied  to  objects 
and  things  of  endless  duration  only  in  an  improper  sense. 

This  is  the  true  position  of  the  system,  as  is  seen  by  the 
quotations  given  above  ;  and  this  assumption  is  made  in  de- 
fiance of  the  most  learned  authorities  in  Christendom.  For 
that  the  aion  in  the  original,  which  is  rendered  in  the  New 
Testament  everlasting  and  eternal,  is  compounded  of  aei 
(always,)  and  on  own  (being,)  means  literally  and  properly 
always  being,  or  being  without  end,  endless,  is  what  no  one 
can  deny,  but  at  the  peril  of  his  reputation  for  knowledge 
or  honesty,  or  both.  And  we  have  not  yet  found  even  a 
Universalist  author,  competent  to  judge,  whatever  may 
have  been  his  evasions  and  equivocations  on  the  subject  in 
general,  that  has  ventured  openly  to  deny  the  fact.  Even 
Mr.  Thomas,  as  quoted  on  the  subject,  has  tacitly  admitted 
it,  in  not  saying  a  w^ord  on  the  point,  when  a  denial  that  the 
literal  meaning  of  the  compound  word  is,  being  without 
end,  endless,  if  true,  would  have  been  of  incalculable  ad- 
vantage to  him,  by  fully  sustaining  his  point.  And  as  far 
as  we  have  been  able  to  discover,  this  is  the  general  policy, 
to  pass  in  silence,  or  cover  in  obscurit\%  the  first  and  pri- 
mary meaning  of  the  original  word,  and  pour  in  the  greatest 
profusion  their  criticisms  on  other  and  minor  features  of  the 
CP'se,  till,  in  their  hands,   the  chaste  and  sublime  languatre 


274  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [CHAP.    XL 

of  inspiration  is  rendered  little  less  than  a  chaos  of  the 
greatest  nonsense. 

But  we  have  a  "  more  sure  word  of  prophecy,"  or  means 
of  instruction  on  this  weighty  subject,  so  full  of  interest  to 
our  whole  race  ;  and  instead  of  depending  on  men's  mere 
wisdom  and  skill  in  criticism,  we  refer  the  subject  for  a  final 
decision,  to  infinite  and  unerring  wisdom. 

Now,  God  either  has  used  the  best  terms,  and  in  their 
proper  and  most  appropriate  sense,  to  represent  his  own 
eternity,  power,  and  Godhead,  the  reward,  glory,  happiness 
and  life  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  or  he  has  not.  To  deny 
that  he  has,  is  directly  to  impeach  his  infinite  wisdom  with 
regard  to  his  method  of  revealing  himself,  the  glories  of 
heaven,  and  the  life  and  happiness  of  the  holy  in  their  fu- 
ture state — his  goodness,  justice,  and  truth,  in  thereby  mis- 
leading and  deceiving  the  pious  and  the  Church  in  all  ages 
on  these  points. 

To  avoid  this  charge  against  the  character  of  God,  even 
the  insinuation  of  which  for  a  moment  would  be  consum- 
mate blasphemy,  we  are  compelled  to  admit  that  he  has 
used  the  best  terms,  in  their  most  appropriate  sense,  in 
those  sublime  communications  to  man. 

But  what  are  the  terms  used  by  the  infinite  wisdom  of 
God  on  these  points?  The  following  will  answer:  "And 
Abraham  planted  a  grave  in  Beer-sheba,  and  called  on  tlie 
name  of  the  Lord,  the  everlasting  God,"  Gen.  xxi,  33. 
*'  The  eternal  God  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are  the 
everlasting  arms,"  Deut.  xxxiii,  27.  "  Hast  thou  not 
known?  hast  thou  not  heard,  that  the  everlasting  God,  the 
Lord,  the  creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth  not, 
neither  is  weary  ?  there  is  no  searching  of  his  understand- 
ing," Isaiah  xl,  28.  "  Even  his  eternal  power  and 
Godhead,"  Romans  i,  20.  "But  now  is  made  mani- 
ifest,  and  by  the  Scriptures  of  the  prophets,  according  to 
the  commandment  of  the  everlasting  God,  made  known  to 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  275 

all  nations  for  the  obedience  of  faith:  to  God  only  wise,  be 
glory  through  Jesus  Christ  for  ever.  Amen,"  Romans  xvi, 
26,  27.  "  Now  unto  the  king  eternal,  immortal,  invisible, 
the  only  wise  God,  be  honor  and  glory  for  ever  and  ever. 
Amen,"  1  Tim.  i,  17.  "  Neither  by  the  blood  of  goats 
and  calves,  but  by  his  own  blood,  he  entered  in  once  into 
the  holy  place,  having  obtained  eternal  redemption  for  us. 
«  *  *  How  much  more  shall  the  blood  of  Christ,  who 
through  the  eternal  Spirit  offered  himself  without  spot  to 
God,  purge  your  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  God?  "  Heb.  ix,  12-14.  "  That  when  ye  fail,  they 
may  receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations,"  Luke  xvi,  9. 
"  For  we  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle 
were  dissolved,  we  have  a  building  of  God,  a  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens,"  2  Cor.  v,  1. 
"  They  which  are  called  might  receive  the  promise  of  eter- 
nal inheritance,"  Heb.  ix,  15.  "For  our  light  affliction, 
which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh  for  us  a  far  more  ex- 
ceeding and  eternal  weight  of  glory.  For  the  things 
which  are  seen  are  temporal ;  but  the  things  which  are  not 
seen  are  eternal,"  2  Cor.  iv,  17,  18.  "  But  the  God  of  all 
grace,  who  hath  called  us  unto  his  eternal  glory  by  Christ 
Jesus,  after  that  ye  have  suffered  awhile,  make  you  per- 
fect, establish,  strengthen,  settle  you,"  1  Peter  v,  10. 
"  Therefore  I  endure  all  things  for  the  elect's  sake,  that 
they  may  also  obtain  the  salvation  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus 
with  eternal  glory,"  2  Tim.  ii,  10.  "  Who  shall  not  re- 
ceive manifold  more  in  this  present  time,  and  in  the  world 
to  come  life  everlasting,''^  Luke  xviii,  30.  "  But  now,  be- 
ing made  free  from  sin,  and  become  servants  to  God,  ye 
have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  everlasting  life. 
For  the  wages  of  sin  is  death ;  but  the  gift  of  God  is  eter- 
nal life  through  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord,"  Romans  vi,  22, 
23.  "But  the  righteous  (shall  go)  into  life  eternal,^^  Matt. 
xxv,  46.     These  are  but  a  few  of  the  manv  declarations  of 


276  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

the  word  of  God  that  might  be  adduced,  bearing  directly 
on  the  vitally  important  point  under  consideration ;  but 
those  amply  show  the  language  the  unerring  wisdom  of 
God  holds  on  the  subj  ct. 

Here,  eternal,  everlasting,  and  for  ever,  are  used  to  desig- 
nate the  eternity  or  endless  being  of  the  '*  Godhead,"  with 
all  his  "  power"  and  "  glory  " — the  eternity  of  the  "  Holy 
Ghost" — the  "  redemption  "  of  Jesus  Christ — the  "  habi- 
tation," *'  inheritance,"  "  glory,"  happiness,  and  endless 
"  life  "  of  the  righteous  in  heaven. 

It  has  already  been  shown,  that  the  infinite  wisdom  of 
God,  in  the  selection  and  application  of  terms  to  the  con- 
dition of  man  in  the  future  world  is  above  all  human  criti- 
cism, and  that  there  is  no  alternative  between  blasphemy 
and  submission  to  the  Divine  authority  in  the  case;  and  it 
only  remains  to  be  seen  whether  the  same  wisdom  applies 
the  same  terms  to  the  finally  impenitent  in  the  future  world, 
as  descriptive  of  their  endless  condition,  as  are  applied  to 
the  righteous.  "  But  he  that  shall  blaspheme  against  the 
Holy  Ghost  hath  never  forgiveness,  but  is  in  danger  of  eter- 
nal damnation,"  Mark  iii,  29.  "  To  be  cast  into  everlast- 
ing fire,"  Matt,  xviii,  8.  "  Who  shall  be  punished  with 
everlasting  destruction  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord  and 
from  the  glory  of  his  power,"  2  Thess.  i,  9.  "  Depart 
from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  prepared  for  the 
devil  and  his  angels.  *  *  *  And  these  shall  go  away 
into  everlasting  punishment,"  Matt,  xxv,  41,  46.  The 
devil  and  his  angels  "  He  hath  reserved  in  everlasting 
chains  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great  day  ;" 
with  the  inhabitants  of  Sodom  are  "  suffering  the  vengeance 
of  eternal  fire,"  Jude  6,  7. 

Numerous  others  might  be  given,  but  these  declarations 
sufficiently  show,  that  the  very  same  language  is  used  to 
designate  and  describe  the  "chains,"  "darkness,"  and 
"  fire,"  (emblems  of  anguish  and  misery,)  the  "  sufferings." 


CHAP.  XI.]        ENDLESS  PUNISHMENT.  277 

"punishment,"  "destruction,"  and  "damnation"  of  the 
finally  impenitent,  after  the  resurrection  of  the  body  and 
the  general  judgment,  that  is  applied  to  the  holy  and  happy 
in  heaven ;  for,  that  this  language  applies  to  man  in  the 
future  state,  has  been  fully  shown  in  treating  on  a  condi- 
tional salvation  in  heaven,  the  general  judgment,  and  a  state 
ind  place  of  future  punishment.  And  we  have  now  reach- 
ed a  point  from  which  we  can  clearly  see  whether  "age, 
or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited  period,"  is,  ac- 
cording to  the  criticism  of  Universalism,  the  proper  and  lit- 
eral signification  of  the  terms  for  ever,  eternal,  and  everlast- 
ing ;  or  whether  the  contrary  is  true,  according  to  the  anal- 
ogy of  faith,  and  the  wisdom  of  God. 

"  Abraham  *  *  called  on  the  name  of  the  Lord,  the 
everlasting  (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limit- 
ed) God."  "The  eternal  (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long,  but 
certainly  limited)  God,  is  thy  refuge,  and  underneath  are 
the  everlasting  (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly 
limited)  arms."  "  Even  his  eternal  (age,  or  an  indefinitely 
long,  but  certainly  limited)  power  and  Godhead."  "  Now 
unto  the  King  eternal,  *  *  (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long, 
but  certainly  limited,)  wise  God."  "  Having  obtained  eter- 
nal (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited)  re- 
demption for  us."  "  Who,  through  the  eternal  (age,  or  an 
indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited)  Spirit,  offered  him- 
self without  spot  to  God."  "For  we  know,  that  if  our 
earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved,  we  have  a 
building  of  God,  a  house  not  made  with  hands,  eternal  (age, 
or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited)  in  the  heav- 
ens." "  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment, 
worketh  for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  (age,  or  an 
indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited)  weight  of  glory." 
"But  now,  being  made  free  from  sin,  and  become'servants 
to  God,  ye  have  your  fruit  unto  holiness,  and  the  end  ever- 

24 


278  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

lasting  (age,  or  an  indefinitely  long,  but  certainly  limited) 
life." 

From  the  above,  which  might  be  abundantly  extended,  it 
is  seen  with  a  clearness  that  defies  resistance,  that  the  Uni- 
versalist  interpretation  of  those  terms,  would  not  only  dis- 
prove the  endless  punishment  of  the  wicked,  but  attribute 
the  language  of  consummate  confusion  and  contradiction  to 
God,  and  also,  disprove  the  endless  life  and  glory  of  the 
righteous,  and  even  the  eternity  of  God.  But,  allowing 
that  this  language  is  used  in  its  proper  sense  when  applied 
to  God,  and  to  man  in  relation  to  his  future  and  endless 
state,  it  is  perfectly  easy  to  see  how  it  is  applied  in  an  ac- 
commodated sense  to  things  of  limited  duration;  such  as  the 
priesthood  of  Aaron,  the  land  of  Canaan,  a  dispensation, 
and  to  this  world. 

But  Universalism,  aware  of  the  accumulating  consequen- 
ces, makes  a  last  desperate  effort  to  escape,  by  affirming 
that  there  are  other  words  in  the  original  more  expressive 
of  proper  eternity,  or  endless  duration,  than  those  under 
consideration ;  such  as  are  rendered  indissoluble,  or  incor- 
ruptible ;  and,  as  they  are  not  used  to  represent  the  endless 
punishment  of  the  wicked  after  death,  therefore  no  such 
punishment  is  taught  in  the  Holy  Scriptures.  This  method 
of  disposing  of  the  case,  is  considered  by  some  of  its  vota- 
ries as  equivalent  to  a  perfect  triumph;  but,  however  plau- 
sible this  may  appear  at  first  sight,  when  viewed  in  its  true 
light,  it  is  a  fearful  aggravation  of  an  already  desperate  case. 
For  it  will  be  seen  upon  examination,  that  in  no  place  in 
the  Bible  has  God  spoken  of  "indissoluble  and  incorrupti- 
ble "  life  and  happiness,  of  "  indissoluble  and  incorruptible  " 
death  and  punishment;  while,  on  the  contrary,  the  common 
language  of  the  Bible  on  the  subject  is,  eternal  and  ever- 
lasting life  and  glory,  eternal  and  everlasting  death,  punish- 
ment, destruction,  and  damnation. 

The  fruitless  nttempt  at  evasion,   then,   amounts  to  this: 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  379 

Universalism,  drawn  from  its  concealment,  pressed  from 
every  point  by  the  force  of  Divine  truth,  and  exposed  in  its 
true  character  to  the  light  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  rises  in 
the  malevolence  and  infidelity  of  its  spirit,  sets  the  word  of 
God  at  defiance,  joins  issue  with  the  throne,  and  charges 
God,  in  eff'ect,  with  having  given  the  world  an  improper 
revelation,  and  presumes  to  dictate  to,  and  select  the  lan- 
guage, the  Deity  should  have  used  in  communicating  his 
will  to  man. 

To  avoid  this  undisguised  and  revolting  infidelity,  the 
system  has  no  choice  but  to  submit  to  the  sovereign  author- 
ity of  the  word  of  God,  which  applies  the  same  language, 
(always  being — being  without  end — endless,)  that  is  used 
to  represent  the  eternity  of  God,  of  heaven,  of  the  life, 
happiness,  and  glory  of  the  holy  in  heaven,  to  the  punish- 
ment, perdition,  and  damnation  of  the  finally  impenitent  in 
an  endless  hell. 

And  now,  as  "  the  day  of  judgment,  and  the  perdition  of 
ungodly  men,"  2  Peter  iii,  7,  are,  according  to  the  purpose 
of  God,  inseparably  connected,  we  solicit  all  concerned  to 
revert  to  the  proofs  given  in  their  proper  places  in  this  in- 
vestigation:  1.  The  utter  impossibility  of  a  past  general 
judgment  and  retribution.  2.  Of  a  progressive  general 
judgment  and  retribution.  3.  The  evidence — the  demon- 
stration, if  the  Bible  be  revered  as  the  word  of  God,  that 
the  final  general  judgment  and  retribution  is  yet  future,  and 
subsequent  to  the  general  resurrection  of  the  dead.  4.  The 
evidence  of  a  state  and  place  of  future  punishment  for  the 
wicked  after  death.  5.  The  impossibility  that  the  punish- 
ment of  the  finally  impenitent  in  the  future  world  can  be 
limited  as  to  its  duration.  6.  That  after  the  unerring  inves- 
tigation of  the  final  judgment,  and  the  separation  of  the 
righteous  and  the  wicked  at  the  last  day,  the  very  same  lan- 
guage that  is  employed,  in  the  infinite  wisdom  of  God,  to 
represent  the  endless  life,  happiness,  and  glory  of  the  saints 


280  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  [cHAP.    XI. 

in  light,  is  used  to  represent  the  endless  misery  and  perdi- 
tion of  the  unholy  in  their  hopeless  darkness.  7.  The  con- 
sequences which  must  inevitably  follow  a  denial  of  this 
doctrine. 

1.  To  escape  a  future  general  judgment,  Jesus  Christ  is 
removed  from  the  throne  of  mediation,  and  placed  on  the 
throne  of  final  judgment;  thereby,  the  reign  of  grace  and 
salvation  eternally  terminated.  2.  To  escape  a  place  and 
state  of  future  punishment,  Jesus  Christ  is  made  to  indorse 
the  errors  of  the  Jews,  and  to  lead  the  Christian  Church 
into  the  same  errors ;  is  made  to  dissemble,  utter  falsehood, 
and  contradict  himself.  3.  To  limit  the  punishment  of  the 
finally  impenitent  after  death,  Christ  is  wholly  excluded  as 
their  Savior ;  and  they,  after  all  that  Christ  can  do,  are  to 
secure  heaven  by  their  own  personal  sufTerings.  4.  To 
escape  the  eternal  punishment  that  awaits  the  wicked,  the 
wisdom  and  character  of  God  must  be  impeached  for  using 
improper  terms  and  language  in  revealing  his  will  to  man ; 
his  "  eternal  power,  wisdom,  glory,  and  Godhead,"  must 
last  but  for  an  "  age  that  is  certainly  limited ;"  the  *'  Holy 
Ghost"  and  the  "redemption"  of  Jesus  Christ  must  last 
but  for  a  "certainly  limited  age;"  the  happiness,  glory, 
and  life  of  the  saints  of  God,  and  even  heaven  itself,  can 
last  only  for  an  "  age  that  is  certainly  limited."  And  what 
an  eternal  blank  God's  universe  will  be,  when  this  certainly 
limited  "  age  "  of  Universalism  terminates  ! 

If  Universalism  attempts  to  meet  and  sustain  these  con- 
sequences, it  must  sink  under  them  as  the  feeble  moth  be- 
neath the  ponderous  wheel ;  if  it  shrinks  from  this,  it  must 
bow  to  the  plain  literal  meaning  of  the  word  of  God,  which 
warns  the  world  that  the  wicked  shall  go  away  into  endless 
punishment,  where  their  worm  dieth  not,  and  tlie  fire  is  not 
quenched ;  they  shall  be  punished  with  endless  destruction 
from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  and  from  the  glory  of  his 
power.     And  now,  leaving  it  to  fall  at  once  under  the  accu- 


CHAP.    XI.]  ENDLESS    PUNISHMENT.  881 

mulated  force  of  eternal  truth,  or  to  struggle  for  a  brief  ex- 
istence in  the  character  of  open  infidelity,  we  close  with  a 
word  of  admonition  to  all  into  whose  hands  this  may  fall. 
With  all  who  believe  in  the  immortality  of  man,  time, 
with  him,  is  but  a  brief  space  which  holds  him  out  of  eter- 
nity ;  and  it  is  a  fact,  whether  men  will  seriously  consider 
it  or  not,  that  the  greatest  interests  of  earth  are  but  transient 
trifles  compared  with  the  changeless  concerns  of  eternity  ; 
for,  should  all  the  happiness  of  this  world  be  lost,  should 
he  gain  the  bliss  of  the  future,  his  greatest  welfare  and 
highest  interests  would  be  eternally  consummated.  But  on 
the  contrary,  all  beside  could  not  compensate  for  the  loss 
of  heaven  and  its  holy  delights.  If,  then,  the  future  end- 
less punishment  of  the  wicked  is  only  within  the  compass 
of  bare  possibility,  (and  the  boldest  atheist  cannot  deny  but 
that  it  is,)  and  if  there  is  safe  ground  in  all  the  provisions 
of  God,  sober  reason  would  admonish  us  to  occupy  that 
ground.  And  if  such  punishment  is  probable,  the  induce- 
ments for  safety  are  proportionably  increased.  But  when, 
in  the  absence  of  all  proof  to  the  contrary,  the  word  of  God 
places  its  certainty  on  the  same  ground  with  the  endless  ex- 
istence of  God,  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  heaven,  and  the  end- 
less life  and  glory  of  the  pious  in  heaven,  common  sense, 
enlightened  reason,  an  honest  conscience,  and  every  motive 
that  should  prompt  human  actions,  conspire  to  warn  man 
of  his  danger,  and  call  upon  him  to  make  a  speedy  and 
willing  sacrifice  at  the  cross  of  Christ,  of  every  prejudice 
and  speculation,  and  seek,  by  humble  faitii  and  holy  obedi- 
ence, that  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  will 
secure  hira  against  all  possible  danger  in  time  and  eternity ; 
but  which  can  be  neglected  by  none,  only  at  the  peril  of 
their  eternal  interests. 

24* 


283  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.        fcHAP.    XII. 

CHAPTER  Xn. 

UNIVERSALISM    BUT    A    MODIFICATIUN    OF    INFIDELITY. 

Universalism  but  a  Modification  of  Infidelity — Rejects  Jesus  Christ — 
His  Cliaracter  and  Work  as  a  Savior — Sin  cannot  be  Pardoned  and 
Punished  at  the  same  time — Rejects  the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  Agent  of 
Man's  Sanctification — Virtually  Rejects  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  Rule 
of  Faith  and  Practice — J.  Kidwell's  Testimony — Relieves  Man  from 
all  the  Restraints  drawn  from  the  Retributions  of  Eternity — Argument 
and  Conclusion. 

From  the  foregoing  investigation,  some  may  suppose  fur- 
ther animadversions  on  the  system  of  Universalism  unne- 
cessary ;  but  as  its  infidelity  has  been  more  than  intimated, 
before  closing  we  design  to  show,  that  this  charge  has  not 
been  made  without  foundation  and  reason. 

In  this  we  do  not  mean  to  be  understood  as  charging  Uni- 
versalism with  an  open  and  frank  disavowal  of  the  Bible 
and  the  Christian  system ;  but  we  do  mean  to  say,  that  the 
legitimate  consequences  following  its  cardinal  doctrines  and 
positions,  contain  all  the  elements,  and  are  but  a  dangerous 
modification  of  infidelity;  and  whenever  its  friends  and 
votaries  shall  claim  and  act  on  the  privileges  and  liberties 
which  it  gives  them,  it  will  result  in,  not  only  a  rejection 
of  the  Bible  and  Christianity,  but,  also,  the  government  and 
being  of  God. 

That  this  is  a  serious  view  of  the  subject,  we  readily  ad- 
mit, and  only  ask  an  honest  and  unprejudiced  hearing  of 
the  evidence  and  arguments  by  which  it  is  sustained. 

I.  Universalism,  by  inevitable  consequences,  rejects  Je- 
sus Christ  as  the  Savior  of  mankind.  1.  By  denying  to 
him  the  means  and  power  of  a  Savior ;  and,  2.  By  with- 
holding from  him  the  work  of  salvation  in  the  case  of  man. 
If  Jesus  Christ  possesses  the  character,  power  and  means 
of  a  Savior,  he  must  necessarily  effect  the  work  of  salva- 
tion;    either,   1.  By   mere  omnipotent  power;    or,  2.  By 


CHAP.    XII.]        UNIVERSALISM  IS    INFIDELITY.  283 

grace  through  the  merit  of  his  vicarious  sufferings  and  death ; 
or,  3.  By  the  influence  of  his  instruction  and  doctrine;  or, 
4.  Through  the  force  and  influence  of  his  example. 

Now,  if  he  does  not  save  by  any  or  all  these  means, 
it  is  utterly  impossible  to  conceive  how  he  possesses  the 
least  particle  of  the  character  or  power  of  a  Savior;  and 
we  now  inquire  for  the  character  of  Christ  as  a  Savior  at 
all  these  points.  And,  first,  does  he  save  sinners  by  the 
mere  omnipotence  of  his  power,  to  the  exclusion  of  all 
other  means  and  instrumentalities  ?  This,  according  to 
Universalism,  is  wholly  impossible;  for  it  will  be  recol- 
lected, that  it  has  already  been  established  in  the  course  of 
this  investigation,  from  the  highest  Universalist  authorities, 
that  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  in  his  most  exalted  character,  is 
a  created  and  absolutely  dependent  being,  and,  consequently, 
wholly  destitute  of  almighty  or  omnipotent  power ;  and  it 
has  also  been  shown,  that  the  delegation  of  such  power  to 
a  created  being  is  literally  impossible  ;  therefore,  according 
to  a  fundamental  position  of  the  system,  it  is  impossible  for 
Christ  to  be  a  Savior  by  the  mere  omnipotence  of  his 
power. 

But  could  Universalism  even  demonstrate  the  contrary  to 
be  true,  such  demonstration  would  convict  the  Bible  of  false- 
hood and  misrepresentation,  for  it  throughout  ascribes  the 
salvation  of  man  to  moral  influence  and  Divine  grace,  and 
not  to  mere  omnipotent  power.  Universalism  is,  therefore, 
compelled  either  to  abandon  the  Bible,  and  wholly  change 
its  position  with  regard  to  the  character  of  Christ,  or  admit 
that  he  is  not  a  Savior  by  mere  sovereign  power.  The  for- 
mer will  fully  confirm  the  charge  of  infidelity ;  the  latter 
must  prepare  the  way  for  it. 

But,  secondly,  does  Jesus  Christ  save  by  grace,  through 
the  merits  of  his  vicarious  sufferings  and  death  ?  This  is 
absolutely  impossible  on  the  principles  of  Universalism. 
For  having  boldly  and  unequivocally  rejected  the  unorigi- 


284  UX.VERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.        [cHAP.    XII. 

iialed  divinity  of  I'le  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  could  not  pos- 
sibly by  his  sufferings  and  death  nnerit  grace  and  salvation 
for  the  world.  But  we  are  not  left  to  reach  this  conclusion 
by  inference  or  consequences ;  for  as  has  been  clearly  prov- 
ed, by  unquestionable  Universalist  authority,  the  total  re- 
jection of  "the  doctrine  of  vicarious  atonement"  by  Je- 
sus Christ  is  made  a  cardinal  doctrine  of  the  system.  And, 
furthermore,  by  referring  to  the  place  where  this  point  has 
been  examined,  it  will  be  seen  that  should  Universalism 
attempt  to  maintain  the  doctrine  of  the  atonement,  or  the 
merits  of  the  death  of  Christ,  in  view  of  other  positions  it 
has  taken,  it  must  do  it  at  the  peril  of  its  very  existence. 
From  which  it  follows,  with  a  clearness  that  cannot  escape 
the  notice  of  the  most  common  observer,  that  Christ  can- 
not save,  according  to  Universalism,  by  the  merits  of  his 
death,  as  there  is  no  possible  merit  belonging  thereto. 

Third ;  is  Jesus  Christ  a  universal  Savior,  through  the 
influence  of  his  instruction  and  doctrine?  On  this  point 
Universalism  greatly  delights  to  dwell ;  but  in  the  midst  of 
its  flourishes,  matters  of  fact,  which  defy  resistance  or  con- 
troversy, give  a  verdict  against  it.  The  fact  is  too  plain  to 
require  proof,  that  to  be  saved  from  error,  or  sin  of  the 
head,  heart,  or  life,  simply  by  doctrine  and  instruction,  it  is 
absolutely  necessary  that  such  doctrine  and  instruction 
should  be  heard,  believed,  and  obeyed  ;  and  without,  salva- 
tion by  such  means  is  utterly  impossible.  But  it  is  a  fact 
no  less  plain,  that  millions  of  mankind  never  heard  the  doc- 
trine and  teaching  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  course  could  not 
believe  and  obey  them ;  consequently,  by  this  means  alone, 
they  were  not  and  could  not  be  saved ;  from  which  it  is 
just  as  undeniable,  that  Jesus  Christ  is  not  the  Savior  of  all 
men  by  his  doctrine  and  instruction,  as  it  is  that  all  men 
have  not  heard,  believed  and  obeyed  them. 

Fourthly,  and  the  only  remaining  point.  Is  Jesus  Christ 
the  Savior  of  all  mankind  by  the  force  and  influence  of  his 


f(! 


CHAP.    XII.]         UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  285 

example  ?  Here  the  same  conclusion  must  necessarily  fol- 
low as  in  the  case  above ;  for  there  can  be  no  salvation  by 
mere  example,  where  such  example  has  never  been  known 
or  followed;  but  all  the  millions  of  the  earth  that  lived  and 
died  previously  to  the  incarnation,  and  subsequently  to  the 
crucifixion  and  ascension  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  never 
knew,  and  consequently  could  not  be,  and  were  not  saved 
by  the  means  simply  of  example ;  and  the  conclusion  is 
perfectly  resistless,  that  Christ  is  not  and  cannot  be  the  Sa- 
vior of  the  world  by  the  influence  of  his  example. 

No  combination  of  those  points  that  it  can  make,  will  re- 
lieve the  difiiculties,  or  diminish  the  force  of  the  charge 
against  the  system.  Universalism  is  fully  aware  of  this ; 
and  the  fact  has  many  alarming  illustrations,  in  the  move- 
ments of  those  who  promulgate  and  attempt  to  defend  the 
system.  They  can  make  every  thing,  or  nothing,  of  the 
character  of  Jesus  Christ  as  a  Savior,  just  as  circumstances 
and  occasion  may  require ;  and  we  have  not  yet  met  with 
one,  who,  when  pressed  hard  on  the  subject,  and  required 
to  give  a  specific  character  and  work  to  Christ  as  a  Savior, 
has  not  been  thrown  into  great  embarrassment  and  confusion. 
The  reason  is  obvious  ;  the  system  either  directly,  or  by 
unavoidable  consequences,  profanely  robs  the  adorable  Re- 
deemer of  every  vestige  of  divinity,  merit,  and  dignity  of 
character  that  essentially  belong  to,  and  absolutely  consti- 
tute the  character  of  a  Savior. 

Undisguised  infidelity  is  fully  satisfied  of  this,  and  con- 
sequently cherishes  a  warm  fraternal  regard  for,  and  evinces 
a  deep  interest  in,  the  operations  and  movements  of  Univer- 
salism ;  patronizing  its  periodicals,  and  rejoicing  in  its  real 
or  supposed  success. 

But  the  system  rejects  Jesus  Christ,  by  denying  to 
him  all  the  work  of  a  Savior,  and  leaving  him  nothing  to  do 
in  the  salvation  of  man.  Salvation  necessarily  implies  loss, 
suffering,  or  danger;  and  the  mind  can  scarcely  conceive  of 


286  UxMVERSALlSM    IS    INFIDKLITY.        [cHAP.    XII. 

a  greater  absurdity  than  to  talk  of  salvation,  where  there  is 
neither  loss,  suffering,  or  danger.  As  sin  is  the  sole  cause 
of  man  needing  a  Savior,  if  he  is  saved  by  Jesus  Christ, 
that  salvation  must  be  either,  1.  From  the  commission  or 
practice  of  sin;  or,  2.  From  the  punishment  and  conse- 
quence of  sin  in  this  world ;  or,  3.  From  the  danger  of 
future  and  endless  punishment  in  the  world  to  come. 

First;  according  to  the  showing  of  the  system,  does 
Christ  save  men  from  the  danger  of  future  endless  punish- 
ment? Most  assuredly  not;  for  to  allow  that  he  does, 
would  be  an  admission  that  such  danger  really  exists,  which 
Universalism  boldly  denies — constantly  proclaiming  that 
man  never  was,  is  not  now,  and  never  will  be,  in  any  such 
danger.  And,  furthermore,  this  is  a  theme  for  constant  op- 
position to  "  orthodoxy,"  because  the  latter  warns  sinners 
to  "  flee  the  wrath  to  come,"  and  urges  the  danger  of  end- 
less perdition,  as  a  motive  to  reformation,  faith,  obedience, 
and  holiness ;  therefore,  demonstration  itself  cannot  make 
it  plainer,  that  Jesus  Christ  does  not,  according  to  Univer- 
salism, save  man  from  the  danger  of  future  endless  punish- 
ment ;  consequently,  Christ  has  nothing  in  the  universe  to 
do  as  a  Savior  at  this  point. 

But,  secondly,  does  Jesus  Christ  save  man  from  the 
punishment  of  sin  in  this  world  ?  This,  Universalism  ex- 
ultingly  denies  ;  and  charges  "  orthodoxy  "  with  the  horri- 
ble offense  of  informing  man,  if  he  will  repent  and  believe 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  he  shall  be  saved — pardoned,  and 
the  punishment  due  to  his  sins  be  averted,  and  he  be  justi- 
fied freely,  and  saved  from  all  the  punishment  that  sins 
unrepented  of  exposed  him  to.  Universalism  also  main- 
tains, "as  the  moral  power"  of  the  system,  that  every  man 
shall,  infallibly,  and  beyond  all  power  of  escape,  be  pun- 
ished in  this  world  in  exact  proportion  to  the  number,  char- 
acter, and  aggravation  of  all  his  sins ;  consequently,  it  fol- 
lows with  an  absolute  certainty  that  excludes  all  doubt,  that 


CHAP.    XII.]  UNI  VERBALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  287 

Christ  cannot  possibly  save  man  from  the  punishment  of 
sin  in  this  world,  as  the  punishment  for,  and  pardon  of  sin 
at  the  same  time,  is  preposterous — a  flat  contradiction. 
Bold  as  the  paradox  is,  however,  Universalism  attempts  to 
keep  up  appearances  by  maintaining  it.  The  anxiety  of 
some  may  be  excited  to  know  how  this  is  done.  Well, 
while  it  maintains  the  position  above,  that  God  punishes  all 
SIN  in  this  world,  it  contends  that  he  at  the  same  time  par- 
dons the  SINNER.  As  its  friends  attach  great  importance  to 
this  subtilty  of  the  system,  we  will  expose  it  a  little  more 
at  large. 

The  system  here  slily  assumes  that  sin,  in  the  abstract, 
is  the  subject  o^  punishment ;  while  the  fact  is,  it  has  but 
a  relative  existence,  and  can  only  be  punished  in  the  per- 
son, and  by  the  pains  or  sufferings  of  the  perpetrator. 

Again ;  it  contradicts  the  language  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
on  the  subject,  which,  throughout,  speak  of  the  pardon  of 
sin  by  remitting  the  punishment;  a  few  examples  of  which 
we  will  here  give.  "  Pardon,  I  beseech  thee,  the  iniquity 
of  this  people  according  unto  the  greatness  of  thy  mercy, 
and  as  thou  hast  forgiven  this  people,  from  Egypt  even 
until  now.  And  the  Lord  said,  I  have  pardoned  according 
to  thy  word,"  Num.  xiv,  19,  20.  "I  acknowledge  my  sin 
unto  thee,  and  mine  iniquity  have  I  not  hid.  I  said,  I  will 
confess  my  transgressions  unto  the  Lord ;  and  thou  forgavest 
the  iniquity  of  my  sin,'-  Psalm  xxxii,  5.  "  But  he,  being 
full  of  compassion,  forgave  their  iniquity,  and  destroyed 
them  not:  yea,  many  a  time  turned  he  his  anger  away,  and 
did  not  stir  up  all  his  Avrath,'"  Psalm  Ixxviii,  38.  "For 
thou.  Lord,  art  good,  and  ready  to  forgive ;  and  plenteous 
in  mercy  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  thee,"  Psalm  Ixxxvi, 
5.  "  And  Jesus,  seeing  their  faith,  said  unto  the  sick  of 
the  palsy,  Son,  be  of  good  cheer;  thy  sins  be  forgiven 
thee,"  Matt,  ix,  2.  "  Then  said  Jesus,  Father,  forgive 
them ;  for  they  know  not  what  thev  do,"   TiUke  xxiii,  34. 


288  UNIVERSALIS^    IS    INFIDELITY.  [cHAP.    XII. 

"  And  be  ye  kind  one  to  another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving 
one  another,  even  as  God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven 
you,"  Eph.  iv,  32.  "Even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also 
do  ye,"  Col.  iii,  18.  "And  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up; 
and  if  he  have  committed  sins,  they  shall  be  forgiven  him," 
James  v,  15.  "If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and 
just  to  forgive  us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  un- 
righteousness," 1  John  i,  9. 

To  present  all  the  proof  at  command  on  this  point,  would 
be  to  transcribe  much  of  the  Holy  Scriptures ;  but  what 
we  have  given  must  satisfy  any  candid  mind,  that  the  par- 
don and  forgiveness  of  sins  is  not  merely  nominal,  but  real, 
and  consists  in  the  "  turning  away  the  anger,"  and  "  not 
stirring  up  all  the  wrath"  of  God  against  the  sinners  in 
"destroying,"  that  is,  punishing  them  for  their  iniquities, 
if  they  "acknowledge,"  "call  upon,"  and  "confess  their 
transgressions  and  sins"  to  him,  with  true  penitence,  faith, 
and  reformation. 

Till  these  Scriptures,  and  all  of  a  similar  character,  can 
be  converted  into  exquisite  nonsense,  and  God  be  made 
the  author  of  consummate  confusion  and  contradiction, 
the  idea  of  pardoning  the  sinner,  and  at  the  same  time, 
punishing  him  to  the  full  extent  for  all  his  sins,  must  be 
preposterous  in  the  extreme  ;  and  the  system  that  maintains 
it  an  object  of  contempt,  with  all  the  candid  and  intelligent 
part  of  community.  But  let  us  look  at  this  subject  in  the 
light  of  illustration.  Sin  is  hinted  at  in  the  Scriptures  in 
the  character  of  debt.  Then  let  us  suppose  a  case,  and 
many  such  there  are,  of  the  man  who,  by  his  folly,  misfor- 
tune, or  both,  has  become  deeply  involved,  and  owes  his 
neighbor  ten  thousand  dollars.  The  claim  is  urged  under 
the  sanction,  and  by  the  authority  of  ]aw ;  the  unfortunate 
delinquent,  in  deep  humility  and  distress,  implores  for  in- 
dulgence— but  all  in  vain.  The  rigors  and  vigilance  of  the 
law  are  not  mitigated  a  single  fraction;  the  first  particle  of 


CHAP.    XII.]  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  289 

grace  or  mercy  is  not  found  in  the  whole  process,  till  the 
law  has  wrung-  from  the  sufferer  the  last  cent.  And  now, 
when  the  relentless  claimant  has  received  the  entire  amount, 
he  turns,  in  great  clemency,  to  the  suffering  victim  of  the 
law,  and  gravely  announces  to  him  that  he  graciously  for- 
gives the  whole  debt!  Is  the  sufferer  astonished?  He 
surely  is ;  but  not  at  the  clemency  or  grace  of  the  creditor, 
but  at  his  aggravated  cruelty  and  consummate  hypocrisy, 
in  claiming  a  gracious  character,  and  announcing  a  pardon, 
when  he  has  exacted  the  very  last  cent. 

Again ;  suppose  the  guilty  offender  arraigned  in  the  tem- 
ple of  justice,  on  his  trial  for  the  violation  of  the  civil  sys- 
tem;  and  as  a  punishment  for  his  offense,  is  adjudged  to 
ten  years'  confinement  at  hard  labor  in  the  State  Prison. 
He  reflects,  feels,  and  is  humbled,  and  gives  every  proof 
of  true  penitency  and  thorough  reformation ;  and  that  if 
pardoned,  the  punishment  for  past  offenses  remitted,  he 
\vould  not  be  a  troublesome  and  dangerous,  but  peaceable 
and  useful  member  of  society.  He,  together  with  benevo= 
lent  friends,  implores  executive  clemency ;  but  the  execu- 
tive sternly  closes  his  ears  against,  and  turns  away  from  all 
entreaties  in  his  behalf.  But  when  the  law  has  spent  its 
entire  force  upon,  and  exacted  the  last  particle  of  claim 
against  the  unfortunate  sufferer ;  and  when  he  has  a  right, 
on  the  principles  of  immutable  justice,  to  demand  his  en- 
largement and  restoration  to  liberty,  and  to  detain  him  an 
hour  would  be  a  gross  violation  of  justice,  the  heretofore 
relentless  executive  now,  in  a  matchless  exhibition  of  mercy, 
graciously  informs  the  sufferer  that  he  grants  him  a  free 
pardon  !  would  not  even  the  broken  spirit  of  a  convict 
receive  it  as  a  most  aggravated  and  unpardonable  insult  ? 
And  would  not  an  intelligent  community  inscribe  infamy 
upon  such  an  executive,  and  pronounce  such  an  administra- 
tion as  destitute  of  grace  and  mercy  as  if  such  virtues  had 
no  existence  in  the  universe  1 
25 


290  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [cHAP.    XII. 

But  by  just  so  far  as  the  administration  of  God  is  more 
sacred  than  that  of  man,  and  offenses  against  him  of  more 
magnitude  than  against  human  institutions,  by  just  so  much 
does  Universalism,  by  resistless  consequences,  attribute 
this  character  and  administration  to  the  Almighty.  And  we 
now  leave  the  reader,  either  to  renounce  the  Bible  to  become 
a  Universalist,  or  to  renounce  Universalism  to  revere  and 
obey  the  Bible ;  and  we  take  the  system  at  its  own  word, 
that  God  never  will  pardon  the  sinner  in  the  sense  of  avert- 
ing the  punishment,  in  part  or  in  whole,  but  will  absolutely 
punish,  to  the  full  extent,  for  all  the  sins  committed.  And 
then,  the  shining  of  the  noon-day  sun  is  not  more  clear, 
than  the  fact  that  Christ  does  not,  yea  more,  cannot,  save 
man  from  the  punishment  of  sin  in  this  world. 

The  next  and  only  inquiry  on  this  feature  of  the  case,  is, 
thirdly,  does  Jesus  Christ  save  all  men  from  the  commis- 
sion and  practice  of  sin  ?  Our  only  embarrassment  here 
is,  the  weight  of  evidence  to  the  contrary  ;  for  we  have 
only  to  appeal  to  facts  for  proof  that  is  overwhelming,  even 
the  world  spread  out  before  us,  "  lying  in  the  wicked  one  ;" 
including  every  grade  and  character  of  sin  and  sinners,  from 
among  which  are  hourly  going  into  eternity  in  utter  impen- 
itence, those  who  have  lived  in  the  deepest  depravity,  and 
die  in  the  utmost  degradation  and  infamy  of  sin.  Univer- 
salism may  well  turn  pale  at  the  picture,  while  it  is  com- 
pelled to  confess  that  Jesus  Christ  does  not  save  all  men 
from  the  practice  and  love  of  sin  in  this  world.  But  the 
system  is  always  anxious  to  waive  particulars  with  re- 
gard to  the  character  and  work  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
as  a  Savior,  and  seeks  to  satisfy  itself  and  the  public  with 
general  views.  Well,  we  will  indulge  it  in  this  its  great 
extremity,  and  inquire.  Is  not  Jesus  Christ  after  all,  some 
how  or  other,  the  Savior  of  all  men  by  his  death?  This, 
on  Universalist  principles,  and  in  the  light  of  facts,  is  utterly 
impossible ;  for,  according  to  the  showing  of  the  system 


CHAP.    XII.]  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  291 

itself,  the  death  of  Christ  could  not  save  man  from  the  dan- 
ger of  future  endless  punishment,  for  no  such  danger  ever 
existed.  He  could  not  possibly  save  them  by  his  death 
from  the  punishment  of  sin  in  this  world  without  totally  de- 
stroying the  system ;  for  this  is  the  vital  principle,  the 
*'  glorious  moral  power"  of  Universalism  ;  and  to  save  man 
by  any  means,  either  in  this  or  the  next  world,  from  the 
punishment  of  sin,  would  utterly  destroy  its  "  moral  pow- 
er," and  leave  it,  morally,  a  lifeless  corpse ;  not  only  not  a 
Christian  system,  but  wholly  destitute  of  "  moral"  princi- 
ple and  "  moral  power!  "  And  incontrovertible  facts  show, 
that  Christ,  by  his  death,  does  not  save  all  men  from  the 
love  and  practice  of  sin  in  this  world.  It  follows,  there- 
fore, beyond  all  successful  contradiction,  that  the  death  of 
Christ,  on  the  principles  of  the  system,  not  only  does  not 
save  man,  but  is,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  perfectly  use- 
less to  the  whole  world.  But  is  not  Jesus  Christ,  some- 
how or  other,  a  Universalist  Savior  by  his  resurrection? 
The  entire  impossibility  of  this  has  been  fully  shown  in 
another  place,  to  which  reference  may  be  had.  It  will  there 
be  seen,  among  other  facts  in  the  case,  that  Jesus  Christ,  as 
a  mere  resurrectionist  Savior,  the  only  real  use,  after  alU 
that  Universalism  can  attempt  to  make  of  him,  is  really 
ruinous  to  the  whole  scheme ;  for  if  he  raises  the  dead,  he 
will  for  ever  destroy  the  system,  by  remitting  the  penalty 
of  the  law,  and  saving  man  from  the  consequence,  that  is, 
the  punishment  of  sin,  and  thereby  annihilate  this  precious 
*' moral  power"  of  the  system,  and  with  it  the  system 
itself.  And  if  this  is  saved,  Christ  can  never  raise  the 
dead,  and  of  course  his  resurrection  is  useless  to  the  world. 
But,  finally,  does  not  Jesus  Christ  save  the  world  by  his 
mediation  on  hi^^h  ?  This  is  more  hopeless,  if  possible, 
than  any  other  feature  of  the  case;  for  Universalism  has 
long  since  displaced  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  from  his  media- 
torial throne  and  reign,  and  forced  him  into  a  premature 


292  UNIVERSALIS.!!    IS    INFIDELITY.        [cHAP.    XII. 

judgment  of  the  world,  to  avoid  the  fatal  consequences  of  a 
future  general  judgment  and  retribution  after  death.  But  if 
the  system  were  to  indulge  him  with  a  place  on  the  throne 
of  mediation,  it  would  be  wholly  unavailing  ;  for  he  would 
have  nothing  to  do  to  prevent  future  punishment  from  fall- 
ing upon  man ;  and  it  would  be  perfectly  vain  and  useless 
for  him  to  intercede  for  the  remission  of  the  punishment  of 
those  who  have  sinned,  for  God  will  inflict  that  to  the  full 
amount.  It  is,  therefore,  clear  to  a  demonstration,  that  tlie 
mediation  of  Jesus  Christ,  according  to  the  principles  of 
the  system,  if  it  would  even  allow  him  a  place  on  the  throne, 
would  be  a  perfect  farce  as  preposterous  as  Universalism 
malies  it  vain  and  useless. 

AVe  now  see,  in  the  light  of  facts  as  incontrovertible  as 
that  men  live  in  sin  and  die  unreformed,  that  the  system  of 
Universalism  effectually  rejects  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as 
the  Savior  of  mankind.  With  his  character  as  a  Savior — 
with  his  doctrine  and  example — with  his  life,  death,  and 
resurrection — with  his  merits  and  mediation- — and  with  his 
works — it  has  nothing  to  do.  Christ  does  not  save  from  the 
love  and  practice  of  sin,  and  he  cannot  save  from  its  guilt 
and  punishment  in  this  world ;  and  man  is  in  no  danger  of 
punishment  after  death.  So  that,  after  all  its  pretended 
boast  of  Jesus  Christ  as  a  universal  Savior,  Universalism, 
like  the  Inn  of  Bethlehem  in  Judea,  has  no  place  for  Je- 
sus, either  on  earth  or  in  heaven ;  no,  not  even  so  much  as 
a  manger  of  straw  for  the  glorious  Redeemer — God  mani- 
fest in  the  flesh. 

II.  In  furtlier  proof  of  the  infidelity  of  the  system,  it,  by 
inevitable  consequences,  rejects  the  Holy  Ghost  as  the  only 
Divine  agent  of  man's  sanctification  and  thorough  prepara- 
tion for  heaven  and  glory. 

The  proofs  of  this  is  found  in  the  fact  that  it  has  no  dis- 
tinct views  of  liis  character,  and  makes  the  Holy  Spirit 
real  or  ideal,  intelligent  or  unintelligent — in  a  word,  any 


CHAP.    XII.  1  UXIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  293 

thing  or  nothing,  as  may  best  suit  its  convenience  for  the 
time  being.  But  in  all  its  speculations  on  the  subject,  it  is 
uniform  in  either  directly  or  indirectly  rejecting  the  abso- 
lute divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  thereby  denying  him 
that  character  of  wisdom  and  power,  so  essentially  neces- 
sary to  effect  the  great  work  implied  in  the  entire  sanctifica- 
tion  of  our  nature — the  regeneration  of  the  heart,  the  total 
eradication  of  that  deep,  hereditary  depravity  of  our  nature, 
and  the  assimulation  of  our  intellectual  and  moral  character 
to  the  likeness  and  image  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 

And,  furthermore,  it  makes  this  real  work  of  the  Divine 
Spirit  on  the  human  heart  a  subject  of  contemptuous  trifling 
and  merriment,  as  the  grossest  fanaticism,  superstition,  and 
ignorance.  But  should  the  system  even  allow  the  infinite 
divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  as  taught  and  maintained  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  it  could  not  thereby  escape  the  force  of 
this  charge ;  for,  as  has  been  shown,  it  maintains  that 
man  must  meet  and  sustain  all  the  claims  of  the  law  of 
God,  and  all  the  consequences  of  his  own  sins,  by  personal 
suflering,  punishment,  or  obedience  in  this  life.  From 
which  the  conclusion  is  inevitable,  that  when  man,  by  his 
own  personal  punishment  as  the  consequence  of  his  sins, 
has  met  the  whole  Divine  claim  upon  him,  he  must  stand 
acquitted  before  the  throne ;  and  there  can  be  no  obstacle  in 
the  way  when  he  leaves  this  world,  to  prevent  him  entering 
heaven  perfectly  independent  of  the  sanctification  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  And  there  is  no  way  by  which  to  escape 
this  charge  of  rejecting  the  Holy  Spirit,  but  by  giving  up 
the  "moral  power"  of  the  system,  and  allowing  that  man 
does  not  meet  all  the  consequences  of  sin  in  his  own  per- 
sonal punishment,  but  that  they  are  removed  by  the  Divine 
operation  and  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit.  This  is  certain 
death  to  the  system. 

in.  The  infidelity  of  the  system  is  further  proved,  by 
its  virtually  rejecting  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith 
25^ 


294  UNIVERSALISM    IS   INFIDELITY.         [cHAP.    XII. 

and  practice ;  so  far,  at  least,  as  man's  final  salvation  in 
heaven  is  concerned. 

It  has  been  clearly  seen,  that  the  system,  in  order  to 
maintain  positions  and  principles,  without  which  it  would 
have  no  existence,  has  inevitably  to  reject  Christ  as  a  Sa- 
vior, the  Holy  Spirit  as  the  agent  and  author  of  our  sancti- 
fication,  and  the  pardoning  mercy  and  grace  of  God  in  avert- 
ing and  turning  away  from  the  penitent  believer  the  punish- 
ment and  perdition  to  which  his  past  sins  had  exposed  him. 

In  this  it  places  Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  the 
grace  of  God,  entirely  beyond  the  reach  of  sinful  man,  and 
throws  him  on  his  own  resources  for  salvation — to  suffer  in 
his  own  person  to  the  full  extent  of  the  Divine  claims  for 
all  his  past  sins,  and  to  render  obedience  in  the  future,  to 
prevent  further  punishment  in  this  life ;  thereby  totally  de- 
nying him  any  salvation,  and  in  effect  denying  all  salvation 
by  grace  through  faith  in  the  merits  and  mediation  of  Jesus 
Christ.  But  as  these  are  fundamental  doctrines  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures,  including  and  implying  the  whole  scheme 
of  God's  mercy  to  man,  and  man's  obligations  and  duty  to 
God  ;  to  reject  them,  is  virtually  a  rejection  of  the  sacred 
Scriptures  as  man's  only  sure  guide  to  duty  and  heaven. 
And  it  must  not  be  forgotten,  that  in  this  virtual  rejection 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  it  thereby  rejects  the  whole  system 
of  Christianity,  with  its  ordinances  and  institutions. 

This  charge  does  not  rest  alone  upon  fair  and  legitimate 
inferences  and  conclusions,  but  we  introduce  one  of  its  dis- 
tinguished teachers,  Mr.  J.  Kid  well,  as  a  witness,  (and  if 
we  had  room,  more  of  the  same  character  might  be  brought 
up,)  who  has  embodied  the  very  spirit  of  Universalism  on 
the  subject  into  living  language,  and  proclaimed  it  to  the 
world.  After  referring  to  "orthodoxy,"  which  he  says, 
"  may  justly  be  called  the  leaven  of  falsehood,  malice,  and 
hypocrisy,"  supported  hy  ^' ignorance  and  supers  f  if  ion, ^^ 
and  that  it  "  dishonors  tlie  Father  of  mercies,"  is  "  destruc- 


CHAP.    XII. J  UNIVEKSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  296 

live"  to  "society,  in  producing  infidelity,  and  a  general 
disregard  for  the  practice  of  true  piety  and  devotion ;"  he 
proceeds,  addressing  his  brethren,  "  Do  you  not  see  that 
mighty  mammoth  of  superstition,  error,  and  delusion,  which 
is  now  growing  up  in  the  fertile  soil  of  liberty !  a  soil  en- 
riched by  the  precious  blood  of  our  forefathers  ?  Reflect 
for  a  moment  that  this  monster  of  iniquity,  (we  mean  ortho- 
dox influence,)  is  destined  (unless  speedily  checked)  to 
swallow  up  our  unborn  posterity  in  the  vortex  of  gloomy 
and  horrid  delusion — reduce  our  happy,  enlightened  land 
of  liberty  and  science,  to  a  dejected  population  of  enthu- 
siastic fanatics,  governed  by  a  miserable  banditti  of  aspiring, 
ambitious,  and  avaricious  priests!"  In  exhorting  Univer- 
salists  to  the  work  of  exterminating  "orthodoxy"  from  the 
earth,  he  says,  "  Once  more  we  call  upon  the  friends  of 
religious  and  civil  freedom,  to  come  forth.  Shall  we  sit 
still  while  these  enemies  of  equal  rights  are  preparing  to 
blow  the  castle  of  liberty?  No,  no  !  let  us  attack  them  in 
their  intrenchments,  and  batter  down  the  walls  of  supersti- 
tion before  their  recruits  are  marched  into  the  field.  Yes, 
yes  !  once  more  we  say,  burst  your  pitchers — let  your  light 
shine— ^{d.ni\  forth  in  the  cause  of  truth,  and  cry,  '  The 
sword  of  the  Lord  and  of  Gideon.^  "  Philomath  Ency- 
clopedia, No.  4,  December,  1840. 

In  a  notice  on  the  cover  of  this  number,  Mr.  Kidwell 
says,  "  In  this  volume,  we  shall  show  by  an  analytical 
review  of  the  Pentateuch,  (the  five  books  of  Moses,)  its 
chronological  inaccuracies,  and  its  utter  repugnancy  to  the 
well  known  history  of  other  nations,  in  regard  to  many  im- 
portant facts  :  for  instance,  we  shall  show  from  the  acknowl- 
edged history  of  the  Egyptians,  that  the  children  of  Israel, 
instead  of  being  delivered  from  their  Egyptian  bondage  by 
supernatural  agency,  obtained  their  freedom  by  the  force  of 
arms." 

Surely,  then,  Moses  must  have  been  a  grand  impostor, 


296  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [cHAP.    XII. 

far  exceeding  Mohammed,  and  all  others  that  have  ever 
cursed  the  world ;  and  how  exquisitely  must  infidelity  feel 
the  strength  of  its  obligations  to  Universalism,  and  to  Mr. 
Kidwell  in  particular,  for  making  the  discovery !  Fairly 
represented  by  this  bold  abettor  of  the  system,  its  "  speech," 
like  fallen  Peter's,  "  betrayeth  "  it;  for  who  that  is  acquaint- 
ed with  the  facts,  cannot  trace  its  paternity  to  the  infidelity 
and  atheism  of  France  ?  which,  under  the  name  of  reason, 
the  love  of  liberty,  and  hatred  of  superstition,  abolished 
the  Sabbath,  banished  the  Bible  and  religion  from  the  realm, 
and  aimed  to  exterminate  them  from  the  earth  ;  broke  down 
the  altars  of  God,  polluted  his  temples,  and  finally,  drench- 
ed the  thirsty  earth  with  the  blood  of  its  own  deluded  vic- 
tims !  But  we  have  not  given  this  quotation  with  the  inten- 
tion of  commenting  thereon,  but  only  as  corroborative  proof 
that  Universalism  does,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  reject 
the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  too  "inaccurate"  to  be  relied  on  in 
"  many  important  facts."  And  we  have  only  to  look  into 
Universalist  periodicals,  to  see  that  a  universal  war  of  ex- 
termination is  declared  against  "  orthodoxy." 

But  what  is  this  so  much  hated  "orthodoxy"  in  these 
United  States,  the  portion  of  the  world  for  whose  special 
benefit  Mr.  Kidwell  has  written,  and  for  which  Universal- 
ism is  laboring  with  so  much  interest  and  zeal  ?  It  is  noth- 
ing more  nor  less  than  our  beloved  Protestant  Christianity, 
which,  to  the  exclusion  of  superstitious  and  blind  tradition, 
proud  and  vain  philosophy,  and  ambitious,  bigoted  reason, 
takes  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  only  rule  of  faith  and  prac- 
tice ;  and  maintains  the  infinite  character  and  unity  of  God, 
the  Father,  Word,  or  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  existing  in 
the  one  infinite  and  eternal  Godhead,  the  Creator,  Governor, 
and  Preserver  of  all  things ;  the  universal,  hereditary  de- 
pravity of  man  ;  the  unoriginated,  infinite  divinity  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ;  his  incarnation;  the  redemption  of  man 
by  the  real  merits  of  thn  snfirrings  and  death  of  his  human 


CHAP.    XII.]         UNIVEUSALI&M    IS    INFIDELITY.  297 

nature,  sustained  therein  by  liis  infinite  divinity ;  salvation 
by  grace,  through  faith  in  the  merits  and  mediation  of  Jesus 
Christ;  the  divinity  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  the  regeneration 
and  entire  sanctification  of  the  penitent  believer  by  his  spe- 
cial, Divine  power  and  agency  ;  holiness  of  heart  and  life  ; 
supreme  love  to  God  and  man  here,  in  order  to  enjoy  hap- 
piness in  heaven  hereafter ;  the  resurrection  of  the  dead ;  a 
future  general  judgment  and  retribution ;  as  fundamental 
doctrines  of  the  Holy  Scriptures.  And,  as  divinely  author- 
ized institutions,  for  the  accomplishment  of  the  great  end 
of  "orthodoxy,"  are,  the  holy  Sabbath,  a  Gospel  ministry, 
baptism,  and  the  holy  sacrament;  individual  private  devo- 
tion and  prayer ;  domestic  or  family,  and  public  worship ; 
the  universal  circulation  of  the  Scriptures,  and  the  establish- 
ment of  Gospel  and  Christian  institutions  among  all  men 
on  earth.  This  is  "orthodoxy,"  and  which  is  denounced 
by  Universalism,  and  which  must  be  "speedily  checked," 
and,  indeed,  driven  from  the  world.  If  this  is  not  a  virtual 
rejection  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  then,  verily,  language  has 
no  meaning,  and  premises  afford  no  possible  ground  for 
conclusions  and  consequences. 

IV.  Its  infidelity  is  further  evinced,  by  removing  all  the 
motives  and  restraints  from  the  conscience,  heart,  and  ac- 
tions of  man,  drawn  from  eternity,  and  with  which  the 
Bible  abounds. 

It  has  been  clearly  shown  that  Universalism  has  to  con- 
fine all  suffering,  condemnation  and  death,  to  this  world, 
and  blots  out,  at  a  stroke,  all  apprehensions  of  danger  in 
the  future,  and,  consequently,  leaves  corrupt  man  undeter- 
red, unrestrained,  and  perfectly  free  to  choose  between  the 
entire  gratification  of  all  his  lusts,  pride,  ambition,  revenge, 
and  every  other  unholy  propensity  and  passion  of  his  fallen 
nature ;  and  to  compass  his  objects  by  falsehood,  perjury, 
slander,  oppression,  and  every  species  of  Jesuitical  hypo- 
crisy, and  even  murder  itself;  and  the  punishments  of  con* 


298  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [CHAP      XII. 

science,  which  may  soon  become  seared  as  with  a  hot  iron, 
and  cease  to  accuse  the  offender  at  all,  or  the  punishments 
of  human  institutions  ;  always  assuring  the  guilty  offender, 
that  if  he  should  even  lose  his  life  in  the  commission  of 
crime,  he  will  only  thereby  gain  heaven  so  much  the  sooner. 
This  cannot  fail  to  strip  a  civil  oath  or  obligation,  which 
derives  its  force  and  authority,  principally,  from  the  respon- 
sibilities of  eternity,  of  all  its  solemnity  and  sanctity,  par- 
alyze the  whole  moral  sense  in  man,  and  circumscribe  all 
motives  of  action  to  the  narrow  sphere  of  this  world,  and 
the  brief  space  of  human  life  ;  as  nothing  he  can  believe  or 
reject,  do  or  omit,  can  possibly  affect  his  final  holiness  and 
happiness  in  eternity. 

Let  these  atheistical  principles  and  dogmas  become  uni- 
versally prevalent,  and  who  will  care  for  the  sanctity  of  the 
Sabbath  ?  for  the  Bible,  religion,  or  religious  institutions ; 
for  civil  obligations  or  institutions;  for  man  or  his  Maker? 
Universal  anarchy  would  be  turned  loose  in  all  its  horror, 
to  rid  the  world  of  such  a  race.  And  we  have  seen  that 
Universalism  is  rallying  to  the  contest  for  the  extermination 
of  the  former,  under  the  name  of  "  orthodoxy  ;"  and  as 
the  stability  of  the  latter  depends  on  the  moral  principles 
of  community  in  general,  and  those  who  administer  them 
in  particular ;  and  as  these  moral  principles  cannot  exist,  if 
the  motives  drawn  from  eternity  are  annihilated,  they  must 
be  endangered  with  the  spread  of  Universalism,  which  de- 
stroys those  motives,  and  expire  with  its  triumph  ;  and  the 
revolutionary  infidelity  of  France,  (a  disgrace  to  our  spe- 
cies,) consign  to  one  common  sepulchre  the  Christianity 
and  liberties  of  Christian  America. 

V.  To  remove  all  doubt  from  the  mind  that  these  are 
legitimate  and  inevitable  consequences,  we  will  demonstrate 
the  infidelity  of  the  system  with  a  clearness  that  may  defy  all 
evasion. 

That   system    wliich    promises  man  an    eternal    exemp- 


CHAP.    XII.]      UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  299 

lion  from  all  danger  of  suffering  or  punishment  in  the  future 
world,  and  assures  him  of  an  unconditional  and  infallible  ad- 
mission into  eternal  happiness  in  heaven,  although  he  should 
live  and  die  in  the  total  rejection  and  blasphemy  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  mankind;  the  utter  re- 
jection of  the  divinity  and  sanctifying  influences  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  the  absolute  rejection  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  the  profane  rejection 
of  all  religion  and  religious  institutions,  all  moral  purity  and 
virtue,  all  authority  both  human  and  Divine ;  is  necessarily 
and  absolutely,  in  its  logical  and  moral  consequences,  as 
directly  opposed  to  the  whole  scheme  of  Christianity  as  re- 
vealed in  the  Bible,  as  open  and  undisguised  infidelity  itself. 

But  Universalism  promises  man  an  eternal  exemption 
from  all  danger  of  suffering  or  punishment  in  the  future 
world,  and  assures  him  an  unconditional  and  infallible  ad- 
mission into  heaven  and  eternal  happiness  after  death, 
although  he  should  live  and  die  in  the  most  bold  and  blas- 
phemous rejection  of  the  entire  nature  and  character  of  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  men ;  the  utter  rejection 
of  the  divinity  and  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit ; 
the  absolute  rejection  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith 
and  practice;  the  profane  rejection  of  all  religion  and  re- 
ligious institutions,  all  moral  purity  and  virtue,  all  authority 
both  human  and  divine ;  therefore,  Universalism,  in  its  log- 
ical and  moral  consequences,  is  as  directly  and  absolutely 
opposed  to  the  whole  scheme  of  Christianity  as  it  is  re- 
vealed in  the  Bible,  as  open  and  undisguised  infidelity  itself. 

If  the  correctness  of  these  propositions  can  be  clearly 
sustained,  the  conclusion  must  be  resistless,  and  all  the  or- 
ganized subtilty  of  the  system  cannot  save  it  from  the  con- 
sequences. 

Of  the  truth  of  the  first  position  we  apprehend  there 
cannot  be  a  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any  who  have  given  the 
least  attention  to  the  subject.     And,  indeed,  is  it  not  too 


300  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.         [ciIAP.    XII. 

plain  either  to  require  or  admit  of  proof?  If,  therefore, 
there  is  any  question,  it  must  be  raised  on  the  second  mem- 
ber of  the  statement  with  regard  to  the  real  character  of 
Universalism  ;  and  if  this  be  sustained,  the  consequences, 
however  revolting  to  all  true  piety,  and  utterly  ruinous  to 
the  system,  must  follow  with  all  their  deadly  force  against 
the  whole  scheme  of  Universalism. 

To  arrive  at  this  by  the  most  easy  and  short  method,  and 
to  render  it  clear,  and,  doubtless,  unanswerable,  we  put  a  few 
plain  and  direct  inquiries,  and  require  of  the  system  direct 
answers  ;  which  it  is  bound  in  all  moral  honesty  and  justice 
to  give,  without  equivocation  or  evasion. 

1.  Does  the  most  bold  and  wicked  rejection  of  the  entire 
character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  men 
persisted  in  through  life,  and  blasphemously  reiterated  and 
adhered  to  in  death,  expose  the  infidel  offender  to  future 
and  endless  punishment,  or  at  all  endanger  his  eternal  holi- 
ness and  happiness  in  heaven  after  death  ?  Surely  no  hon- 
est man,  or  honest  system,  would  seek  for  a  moment  to 
evade  this  question.  And  yet  some  Universalists,  and  Uni- 
versalism, writhe  under  it  almost  as  in  the  agonies  of  death  ; 
several  instances  of  which  we  have  witnessed,  but  forbear 
to  name  them  here.  Nevertheless,  to  this  point  they  must 
come,  however  reluctant. 

Should  the  system  answer  in  the  affirmative,  it  gives  up 
the  whole  struggle  for  existence,  and  admits  that  the  willful 
and  wicked  rejection  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Savior  of  man- 
kind persevered  in  till  and  in  death,  will  close  heaven 
against,  and  expose  the  offender  to  endless  and  hopeless 
perdition.  Such  an  answer — such  an  admission — must 
prove  the  endless  ruin  of  Universalism,  without  the  possi- 
bility of  its  salvation,  or  the  power  of  its  escape. 

And  to  answer  this  interrogatory  in  the  negative,  is  a  full 
admission  of  the  practical  infidelity  of  the  system ;  and  it 
thereby  says  to  all  the  infidels  in  the  land — in  the  world — 


CHAP.    XII.]         UNIVERSALISM  IS    INFIDELITY.  301 

it  would  be  well  for  you  to  become  Universalists  ;  you  would 
thereby  be  made  exceedingly  happy  in  believing  in  the  final, 
unconditional  salvation  of  all  men  after  death;  you  would 
also  escape  the  punishment  of  sin  hereafter  in  this  world,  if 
your  faith  should  happen  to  reform  you  ;  which,  however, 
rarely  ever  occurs,  and  there  is  scarcely  a  shade  of  proba- 
bility that  it  would  in  your  case.  But,  after  all,  should  you 
prefer  living  and  dying  an  unholy  rejecter  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  Savior,  heaven  is  to  you  just  as  unconditionally  sure 
as  if  you  now  wore  its  honors,  were  crowned  with  its  glo- 
ries, and  sweetly  overwhelmed  with  its  holy  and  happy 
delights ! 

What  better  company,  or  more  delightful  brotherhood, 
could  the  boldest  infidelity,  with  all  its  malignity  of  spirit, 
and  deadly  hostility  to  the  whole  system  of  Christianity, 
desire,  than  it  finds  in  Universalism  ?     Surely  none. 

2.  Does  the  rejection  of  the  divinity  and  sanctifying  in- 
fluences of  the  Holy  Spirit — yea,  more,  the  most  aggrava- 
ted blasphemy  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  life  and  in  death, 
expose  the  daring  perpetrator  of  the  ofll'ense  to  punishment 
in  the  future  world,  or  prevent  his  eternal  happiness  in 
heaven  after  death  ? 

Here,  also,  an  affirmative  answer  must  for  ever  ruin  the 
whole  system ;  and  to  protract  its  life  if  possible,  there  is 
no  alternative  but  to  reply  in  the  negative ;  and  in  this  the 
system  fully  indorses  the  charge  of  its  own  infidelity  ;  and 
says  to  such  oflfenders,  in  direct  contradiction  of  Jesus 
Christ,  all  your  rejection  of  and  blasphemy  against  the  Holy 
Ghost,  though  you  live  in  the  practice  and  die  in  the  con- 
summation of  the  crime,  can  neither  expose  you  to  suff'er- 
ing  and  punishment,  or  keep  you  out  of  heaven  after  you 
leave  this  world. 

Could  the  opposer  of  the  Holy  Spirit  desire  stronger  en- 
couragement, or  better  company  in  his  work  of  rebellion 
against  the  Spirit  of  all  grace,  than  he  finds  in  Universalism  ? 
26 


302  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.         [cHAP.    XII. 

3.  Does  the  absolute  rejection,  and  practical  disregard  in 
life  and  death,  of  the  Holy  Scriptures,  as  the  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  subject  the  offender  to  punishment  in  the  future 
life,  or  endanger  his  eternal  happiness  in  heaven  after  death  ? 
To  this  inquiry  the  system  can  give  but  one  answer,  in 
which  it  must  say  to  all  who  utterly  reject,  and  openly  pro- 
fane and  contemn  the  word  of  God,  that  whatever  advanta- 
ges they  might  derive  from  a  reverent  belief  in,  and  humble 
obedience  to  the  sacred  Scriptures,  they  are,  nevertheless, 
as  unconditionally  exempt  from  punishment  after  death,  and 
as  absolutely  sure  of  the  endless  happiness  of  heaven,  in 
the  total  rejection  of  the  Bible,  as  if  they  now  rejoiced  with 
the  sanctified  millions  on  high.  What  greater  encourage- 
ment do  the  most  impious  want,  who  disbelieve  the  word 
of  God,  and  make  it  matter  of  profane  trifling,  than  they 
find  in  Universalism  ?     Again, 

4.  Does  the  utter  rejection  of  the  Christian  religion,  and 
all  religious  institutions,  ordinances,  and  sacraments,  all 
moral  purity,  all  authority  human  and  divine,  proudly  per- 
sisted in  through  life,  and  presumptuously  adhered  to  in 
death,  endanger  the  bold  offender's  happiness  in  heaven,  or 
subject  him  to  punishment  and  perdition  in  the  coming 
world  after  death  ?  Here,  too,  the  system  cannot  give  an 
affirmative  answer  only  at  the  peril  of  its  own  existence. 
To  say  that  it  does,  to  the  inquiry,  would  be,  emphatically, 
to  perpetrate  suicide  in  an  instant!  And  to  avoid  this  ca- 
lamity it  has  no  choice,  and  must  announce  to  the  world, 
that  though  men  reject  the  Christian  religion  entirely,  with 
all  morality  and  virtue,  all  the  institutions  of  God  and  man, 
and  from  the  malevolence  of  their  heart  maintain  the  most 
relentless  opposition  to  the  peace  of  man,  and  the  will  of 
God,  which  hostility  only  ceases  in  this  world  when  they 
expire  in  death ;  they  are,  nevertheless,  not  only  exempt 
from  all  possibility  of  punishment  after  death,  but  are  un- 
conditionally   sure    of   "an    eternal    weight   of   glory"  in 


CHAP.    XII.]        UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  303 

heaven.  Is  it  any  marvel,  then,  that  deep  sympathies  and 
warm  fraternal  regards  should  so  steadily  exist  between  infi- 
delity and  Universalism  ?     But,  finally, 

5.  Is  it  possible  for  men,  in  the  full  exercise  of  all  their 
powers  and  means,  employed  through  life  and  till  death 
closes  the  scene,  to  commit  crime  sufficient,  by  rejecting 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures, the  Christian  religion,  all  religious  institutions,  all 
morality  and  virtue,  and  in  all  the  profanity  and  presump- 
tion of  atheism,  rejecting  even  the  existence  of  God,  to 
subject  them  to  misery  and  punishment  in  the  future  world, 
or  for  a  moment  to  peril  their  endless  glory  in  heaven  after 
death  ?  In  this  view  also  it  is  perfectly  clear,  the  system 
has  no  alternative ;  for  should  it  concede  that  any,  or  all 
these  sins  against  God  and  man,  would  exclude  the  offen- 
ders from  heaven  and  consign  them  to  the  prison  of  the 
second  death,  the  concession  must  inevitably  be  the  endless 
perdition  of  Universalism.  And,  painful  as  it  may  be  to 
the  friends  of  the  system  to  see  its  revolting  moral  deprav- 
ity and  deformity  thus  brought  to  light  and  exposed,  we 
have  a  right,  the  world  has  a  right,  to  ask  and  expect — yea, 
still  more,  to  demand  a  direct  answer  to  these  solemn  inter- 
rogatories. 

But  to  the  point  it  must  come,  and  when  brought  to  the 
bar,  it  must  convict  itself  out  of  its  own  mouth  of  practical 
infidelity,  if  not  atheism  also,  by  proclaiming  to  the  world 
that  no  crimes  that  men  can  commit,  can  expose  them  to 
punishment,  or  prevent  their  endless  happiness  and  glory 
in  heaven  after  death.  Is  it,  then,  a  matter  of  so  great  aston- 
ishment, that  there  should  be  found  men  so  bold  in  blasphe- 
my as  to  set  God  at  defiance  in  the  face  of  his  own  altars, 
while  Universalism  assures  them  that  such  a  course  will  as 
infallibly  result  in  their  eternal  glory  in  heaven,  as  the  most 
zealous  and  devoted  pietv  ? 

In  closing  this  investigation,  we   will  give  a  case  which 


304  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [ciIAP.    XII. 

will  clearly  illustrate  this  point,  and  the  reply  of  Uriiver- 
salism  will  fully  settle  the  question. 

When  depraved  and  proud  reason,  prompted  by  a  vain 
and  false  philosophy,  had  usurped  all  authority,  and  com- 
menced the  merciless  and  deadly  war  of  extermination 
against  the  whole  Christian  system  in  France,  and  in  the 
world — '«  and  when,  by  death  and  banishment  of  the  cler- 
gy, but  few  traces  of  Christianity  could  be  found  in  the 
reprobate  metropolis  of  the  atheistical  republic — one  of  the 
Churches  was  converted  into  a  heathen  temple,  and  the  rest 
were  used  as  places  of  public  festivity  and  amusement. 
To  these  places  the  abandoned  citizens  of  Paris  thronged 
in  multitudes ;  but  not,  as  formerly,  professionally  to  wor- 
ship their  Maker,  but  to  hear  his  holy  name  blasphemed, 
his  existence  denied,  and  his  eternal  Son  derided  and  ridi- 
culed as  an  impostor."  In  connection  with  this  outrage 
against  God  and  religion,  "an  oath  was  taken  by  all  the 
members  of  the  National  Assembly,  that  every  exertion 
should  be  used  to  purge  the  earth  of  royalty ;  and  it  was 
decreed,  that  the  convention  should  be,  what  they  were 
pleased  to  term,  A  committee  of  Insurrection  as^ainst  all 
the  kings  in  the  universe.  Claiming  a  diabolical  pre-emi- 
nence above  mere  private  assassins,  they  openly  and  syste- 
matically proposed  to  institute  a  band  of  patriots,  who, 
either  by  sword,  pistol,  or  poison,  should  attempt  to  murder 
the  sovereigns  of  all  nations.  *  *  *  During  the  pro- 
gress of  this  Revolution,  a  comedian,  dressed  as  a  priest  of 
the  Illuminati,  publicly  appeared,  personally  attacking  Al- 
mighty God,  in  these  memorable  words :  No !  thou  dost 
not  exist.  If  thou  hast  power  over  the  thunder-bolts, 
grasp  them,,  aim  them,  at  the  man  who  dares  set  thee  at 
defiance  in  the  face  of  thine  altars.  But  no  ;  I  blaspheme 
thee,  and  I  still  live  ;  no,  thou  dost  not  exist. ^^  Appen- 
dix to  Coke's  Comm.  on  the  Revelation,  p.  36. 

Of  the  infidelity  and  atheism  of  these  times,  and  the  tens 


CHAP.    XII.]         UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY. 

of  thousands  that  were,  either  with  their  own,  or  the  hands 
of  others,  hurried  instantly  into  eternity,  covered  and  pol- 
luted with  all  their  bold,  bloody,  and  blasphemous  atheism 
against  God,  and  his  holy  religion,  there  can  be  no  doubt. 
Now,  suppose  Universalism  an  auditor  when  the  above 
blasphemous,  atheistical  "attack"  is  made  upon  "Almigh- 
ty God,"  and  the  following  interview  occurs: 

Universalism.  "  What  are  your  hopes  and  prospects, 
and  those  of  your  associates  in  the  atheistical  work  of 
slaughter  and  death,  after  you  leave  this  world — this  state 
of  being?" 

Atheist.  *'  Our  hopes  and  prospects  !  Why,  look  at  the 
inscriptions  at  our  burying  places,  and  on  the  walls  of  our 
theatres,  and  places  of  amusement,  '  Death  is  an  eternal 
sleep  /'  this  terminates  all  our  hopes  and  prospects  of  the 
future,  and  wraps  all  our  race  in  eternal  shades,  silence, 
and  unconsciousness  !" 

Universalism.  "  No,  sir,  you  are  infinitely  mistaken ; 
but  your  error  is  perfectly  harmless  as  it  regards  your  future 
and  eternal  destiny.  You  may,  indeed,  meditate,  and  as 
far  as  it  is  possible,  consummate  the  merciless  slaughter  of 
all  the  kings  of  the  earth,  with  all  other  civil  rulers ;  you 
may  tear  up  human  society  and  government  from  their  foun- 
dations, and  turn  anarchy  loose,  to  drive  in  lawless  cruelty 
over  a  prostrate  world ;  you  may,  indeed,  martyr  the  min- 
isters of  religion,  and  cruelly  murder  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High ;  you  may  break  down  the  altars  of  Christianity,  and 
turn  the  sanctuaries  of  God  into  '  heathen  temples '  and 
theatres,  and  pollute  them  with  all  possible  licentiousness 
and  crime  ;  you  may  '  deride  and  ridicule '  the  Son  of  God 
as  a  base  '  impostor ;'  you  may  then  even  attack  the  throne 
of  God,  blaspheme  and  deny  his  existence,  and  set  Jehovah 
at  defiance  in  the  face  of  his  own  altars ;  and  thus,  weary 
of  the  work  of  blasphemy  and  death,  you  may  turn  your 
diabolical  phrenzy  upon  your  own  person,  and  consummate 
26* 


306  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [CHAP.    XII. 

your  career  of  atheism  in  aggravated  suicide.  And  then, 
instead  of  *  death  being  an  eternal  sleep,'  you  will  live,  not 
in  suffering  or  punishment — for  there  is  no  punishment  in 
the  future,  it  is  all  confined  to  this  world — you  will  live 
instantly  in  heaven  with  the  singing  millions  in  God's  eter- 
nal sanctuary  on  high.  And  now,  although  no  one  man  has 
meditated  or  committed  all  those  crimes  against  God  and 
man,  yet  they  have  all  been  meditated,  and,  as  far  as  men 
had  the  power,  the  attempt  has  been  made  to  accomplish 
the  dreadful  work ;  and  men  have  died  in  the  attempt, 
with  hearts  filled  with  malignity  and  revenge  against  both 
God  and  man,  and  witli  hands  bathed  in  innocent  blood." 

Now,  with  reference  to  all  such,  and  all  others  of  lower 
grades  of  offenders  living  and  dying  in  crime,  we  ask  Uni- 
versalism,  and  demand  a  direct  answer.  Are  they  received 
to  heaven  and  eternal  happiness,  or  are  they  lost  in  an  end- 
less and  hopeless  hell  ? 

If  it  answers  the  latter,  then  it  convicts  itself  of  unmin- 
gled  falsehood  and  corruption — gives  up  the  agonizing  strug- 
gle for  life,  and,  without  the  power  or  possibility  of  es- 
cape, dies  a  death  of  infamy. 

But  if  the  former  should  be  its  answer,  then  the  argu- 
ment in  proof  of  its  deep  and  corrupt  infidelity  is  com- 
plete— is  conceded  by  the  system  itself:  that  Universalism 
promises  man  an  eternal  exemption  from  all  danger  of  suf- 
fering or  punishment  in  the  future  world,  and  assures  him 
an  unconditional  and  infallible  admission  into  heaven  and 
eternal  happiness  after  death,  although  he  should  live  and 
die  in  the  most  bold  and  blasphemous  rejection  of  the  en- 
tire nature  and  character  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Savior  of  men  ;  the  utter  rejection  of  the  divinity  and  sanc- 
tifying influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit;  the  absolute  rejection 
of  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  a  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  the 
profane  rejection  of  all  religion  and  religious  institutions, 
all  moral  purity  and  virtue,  all  authority  both  human  and 


CHAP.    XII.]  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  307 

Divine,  and  even  the  being  and  existence  of  God ;  there- 
fore, Universalism,  in  its  logical  and  moral  consequences, 
is  as  directly  and  absolutely  opposed  to  the  whole  scheme 
of  Christianity  as  revealed  in  the  Bible,  as  open  and  undis- 
guised infidelity  itself. 

And  if  society  is  infested  with  such  a  species  of  infidel- 
ity, which  has  neither  magnanimity  nor  honesty  enough  to 
appear  in  its  own  proper  character,  but  throws  around  itself 
the  sanctity  of  the  name  and  profession  of  religion  and 
Christianity,  to  avoid  suspicion,  and  the  better  to  conceal  its 
real  character  and  designs,  and  is  thereby  sowing  the  seeds 
of  infidelity  thick  and  fast  in  community,  and  endangering 
the  highest  interests  of  men  in  this  and  the  eternal  world, 
how  can  the  ministers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  meet  their 
divine  Master  in  the  final  judgment,  and  give  an  account  of 
their  stewardship,  if  they  do  not  arouse  themselves  to  the 
work,  and  arrest  the  ravages  of  this  deadly  moral  poison, 
by  exposing  at  once  to  public  view  its  deep  and  malevolent 
infidelity,  concealed  under  the  specious  and  imposing  name 
of  liberal  Christianity? 

This  is  not  so  difficult  a  task  to  perform  as  some  might 
suppose.  The  better  informed  friends  of  the  system  know 
its  indefensibleness  here  ;  they  see  and  feel  it  sensibly  ;  and 
there  is  no  point  on  which  they  dread  an  attack  more  than 
on  that  of  the  development  of  its  infidelity;  and  when 
attacked  here,  its  most  zealous  votaries  and  able  defenders 
cannot  keep  its  utter  deformity  and  depravity  concealed,  or 
prevent  its  exposure.  To  this  point  every  lover  of  truth 
and  honesty  should  bring  it  without  delay ;  and  there  is  a 
short  method  by  which  this  may  be  accomplished ;  that  is, 
by  urging  upon  the  system,  wherever  it  is  found,  and  de- 
manding a  direct  answer  to  those  inquiries  proposed.  Let 
every  minister  of  eternal  truth  demand  an  answer;  let  every 
pious,  let  every  honest  man — let  the  Church,  let  the  world 
demand  a  direct  answer.     Universalism  is  bound,  in  all  jus- 


808  UNIVERSALISM    IS    INFIDELITY.  [cHAP.    XII. 

tice  and  moral  honesty,  to  give  a  direct  answer;  and 
to  hesitate,  must  excite  suspicion  even  in  the  minds  of  the 
incredulous,  that  the  charge  of  inlidelity  against  it  is  sus- 
tained. To  refuse  an  answer,  is  to  confirm  this  suspicion ; 
and  to  answer,  is  to  open  its  own  sepulchre,  as  a  warn- 
ing to  the  world,  and  inscribe  thereon,  with  its  own  hand, 
trembling  as  in   death,  the  following  epitaph :   "  Univer- 

SALISM,     HAVING     NO     HOPE,     AND     WITHOUT     GOD     IN     THE 


THE   END. 


TEXTS 

REFERRED  TO,  QUOTED,  OR  EXPLAINED  IN  THIS  WORK. 


GEJfESIS. 

Ch.  Ver.  Page. 

3  15  46,  58 

6    5  163 

9    1  52 

17  20  — 

39    5  — 

14  19  61 

19  24  151 

21  33  274 

22  18  41,  50 
28  14  — 
28  13,  14  79 

EXODUS. 

20  3-17  135 

LEVITICUS. 

1144  134 

26    1  137 

NUMBERS. 

14  19,  20  287 

14  30-34  78 

16  33  151 

22  12  51 

23  19  42 

DEUTEKONOMT. 


7  14 

9  29 
10  14 
14  1 

32  6 

33  27 

13  24 


51 

62 

61 

169 

274 

52 


II  KINGS. 

Ch.  Ver. 
17  10-12 

JOB. 

21  7-9 

PSALMS. 

2  6-8 
83  12 
16  5 

22  25-28 

22  28-31 

23  3 

24  3,4 
24  7-10 

2  6 
48  18 
33  12 
33  5 
78  38 
86  5 
51  10 
78  8 
73  3-7 


Pase. 
137 

210 

61 

195 
63 
64 
164 
180 
202 


51 

287 


160 
160 
210 


I   SAMUEL. 

2  30-32  78,  79 


6  19 
23  10-13 

II   SAMUEL. 
6   11 

11  15 

12  7-9 

I    KINGS. 

8  51 


152 

77 


52 
230 


62 


PROTERBS. 

1131  15 

13  2  161 
21  10  — 

14  29  160 

15  13  — 

16  18  _ 

25  28  — 
16  5  163 
18  12  _ 

26  23  — 
21  27  162 

ECCLESIASTES. 

8   11  163 

12  14  245 

ISAIAH. 

1  2-4  169 

1  5,  6  163 

1  19.  20  44 

2  2-4  65 


ISAIAH. 

Ch.  Ver.  Pa^e. 

25  6-10  66 

25  8  46 

33  22  151 

35  8  20 

40  28  274 

43  13  123 
45  22-25    69,  134 

53  4  55 
53  6,  10    89,  145 

12  — 

JEREMIAH. 

5  23  163 

17  9  — 

18  7-10  75 

EZEKIEL. 

1119,20  164 

18    4  161 

37  12,  13  184 

DANIEL. 

2  44  182 
7  14  _ 

12    8,  9  — 

4  35  123 

5  20  162 
12    2               181,236 

JONAH. 

3  6-10  75 

MICAH. 

7    7  161 

MALACHI. 

2  10  151,  169 

4  2  56 

MATTHEW. 

4  10  30 

5  8  180 

5  11,12  104 

6  19,  20  — 
5  14  56 
5  22  257 

7  1 1  146 
9    2  287 


310 


TABLE  OF  TEXTS. 


MATTHEW. 
Ch.  Ver.        Pa^e. 
10  28  258 

23  33  — 
12  34-45  196 
12  36,  37       245 

15  19  163 

16  28  195 

24  34  — 

18  8         276 

19  14  86 

22  29,  30       165 

23  37         128 

24  30,  31    198,  235 

25  31  234 
25  32  238 
25  34-41-46    246 

270,  275,  276 
28  18-20     58,  62 

MARK. 

3  29         276 
3  35  123 

8  38      196,  234 

9  1-13-30     195 
9  43,  44-48    258 

270 
12  24,  25       165 

16  15,  16    58,  113 

XTJKE. 

2  10  42 

3  38  169 
9  54,  55  160 

17  20  203 

18  30  275 

20  34-36  165 

21  32  195 

23  34         287 

24  44,  45,  48  65,  86 

JO  HIT. 

1  8,9  56 

8  12  — 

1  11  128 

5  40  — 

3  16  54,  84,  88 
3  14-16-18-36  111 

5  24  — 

6  28,  29  185,  237 
6  27  1U4 

10  27,  28  — 

6  28-40  112 

8  56  43 

12  32  45 


JOUX. 

Ch.  Ver  Paee. 

15  6  174 

16  8  57 

ACTS. 

1  9-1 1  234 

2  2-5  202 

2  32,  33  203 

3  25  41,  50 

4  12  204 
9    6^  205 

12  23  — 

13  10  136 

13  30-33  85 

16  30,31  117 

17  30  251 
24  25  — 
17  31  238 
24  14-16        188,  236 

HOMAIfS. 

1  17,  18  99 

2  5-9  — 
6  23  — 
1  20  274 

1  28-31  162 

2  5  163 
2  6  15 
2    7  104 

2  11-16  60 

3  3,  4  44 
1 1  32  — 

3  23  146 

5  1,2  112 
5  20  46 
8  21  — 
5  12-18   54,  86,  191 

5  19  184 

6  22  107 

8  6-13-16    105, 170 

192 

5  5  — 

9  19  123 

10  16-18  59 

11  32  89 

14  10  238 

14  17  203 

15  8,  9  85 

16  26,27  275 

6  22,23  275 

I  CORINTHIANS. 

2   10  57 

12  7  57 


I   CORINTHIANS. 

Ch.  Ver.  Page. 

7    6  137 

15  22,42-44,55    173 
15  51,52        184,235 
236 
15  56,  57  67 

15  28  15 

II    CORINTHIANS. 

1  18,  20        45 

4  17,  18       275 

5  1  275 
5  14,  15  54 
5  5,  6,  17  173,  174 
5  10  245 
7  1  161 

GALATIANS. 
220  112 

3  8,  9  43,  59 

3  13  67 

3  22  89 

3  26  170 
5  6  174 

EPHESIANS. 

1  11      123,  126 

2  8,  9  15,  170 
2  10  174 

4  17  162 
4  22-24  164 
4  32  288 

COLOSSIANS. 

1  20  15 

1  21  162 

2  18  — 
1  23  59 

3  13  288 

I  THESSALONIANS. 

4  2-4  123,  129 
4  7  105 
4  15,  16  199 
4  17  185 

4  13-18  236 

5  23  161 

II  THESSALONIANS. 

1  7   234,  235,  246 

1  9         270 

2  11,  12       82 

I  TIMOTHX. 

1  17         275 

2  4  12« 
2  5         203 

4  10  81 


TABLE    OF    TEXTS. 


311 


II  TIMOTHT. 

Ch.  Ver.  Page. 

1  9  69 

2  10  275 
4    6-8         108,   115 

TITUS, 

1  15  162 

2  11,  12  57,  134 

HEBREWS. 

2    9  54 

2  14  46 

10  23  — 

6  13-18  42 

7  25  203 

8  6  — 

9  14  57 
9  12,  14,  15          275 

10  36  123 

11  4  230 

11  6  112,  186 

12  14      105,  163,  180 

JAMES. 

1  12  108 

1  14,  16  99 


JAMES. 

Ch.  Ver. 

Page 

4  5 

160 

5  6.  6 

210 

5  16 

288 

I  PETER. 

1  2 

141 

1  3-5 

108 

1  16,  16    105 

,  134 

1  11 

63 

1  20 

59 

2  9 

169 

2  24 

55 

6  10 

275 

II   PETER. 

1  21  63 

2  1-9  99 

2  4  238 

3  7-10-12-14  239 

241,  242,  279 

I  JOHIf. 

1     3  105 

1     9  288 


I  JOHN. 

Ch.  Ver.  Page. 

2     1  203 

2    2  55 

2  17  123 

3  2  120 
5  4  — 
3  2  88,  174 
3  8  46 
5    9,  10  43 

JUDE. 

6  238 

7  246 
6,  7  276 

REVELATION. 

1  5,  6  267 

2  10  108,  175 
5  21,  22  120 

13  8  53 

20  11  239 

20  12,  13  237 

20  13-15  246 

21  8  — 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary-Speer  Library 


1    1012  01029  3548 


DATE  DUE 


GAYLORD  #3523PI        Printed  in  USA 


